Desert Rangers

Capable of enduring the most extreme conditions, camels have been integral to residents of the Gulf for centuries. Believed to have been domesticated around 3,000 BC, camels have been used for everything, from milk and meat, to working animals and a means of transportation.

- Sanak Roy Choudhry

Many may think of them of as lumbering creatures or ‘Ships of the Desert’, but camels have more than a few tricks up their sleeve. Given the right conditions, the one-humped dromedary camel that you find in Oman can actually reach upto a speed of 64kph in short bursts on specialized tracks. And camel racing is a big business in Oman. Overseen by the Oman Camel Racing Federation, the famous Arab sport has a solid fan base. The camels themselves have become prized possessions and can often fetch prices in excess of the top sports cars. The cream of the crop are bred and trained at special farms where they undergo a rigorous training programme to ensure they perform at the peak of