Saudi Arabia has unveiled plans to issue official passports for camels, a remarkable step that aims to boost regulation and oversight of one of the Kingdom’s most significant cultural and economic assets, according to Gulf News.
The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture said the camel passport initiative would further strengthen oversight of ownership while enhancing “productivity and efficiency in the sector” by presenting a centralized, reliable reference database.
Set to be a regulatory tool for the sale, transport, and trade of the animals, the camel passport will protect owners’ rights and streamline proof of ownership.
Government figures released in 2024 indicated that the Kingdom is home to nearly 2.2 million camels.
Camels were a primary means of transportation across vast distances offering a good company to combat the isolation of long journeys. Today camels remain one of the basic elements of Saudi Arabia’s history and civilization.
In recent years, they have emerged at the heart of a thriving breeding and competition industry, most prominently showcased at annual events such as the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, where prize-winning animals can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The Kingdom said that the camel passport system represents an integral part of broader efforts to modernize agricultural governance while safeguarding traditional industries.
By providing documentation, data, and traceability, the new system seeks primarily to regulate practices that once depended solely on oral record and custom.
Related Topics:
Poetry and Camels: Dynamic Duo at Crown Prince Camel Festival
