We usually think Camels are only in the desert. Occasionally, they find themselves in odd locations. Albert lives in Ojai, California, and occasionally gets to enjoy snow. For a camel in Saudi Arabia, a quick dip at a beach in the Arabian Sea is the order of the day.
Videos by InspireMore
According to National Geographic Arabic, this camel left the dunes to cool off in the Arabian Sea. Just because camels can thrive in the desert heat doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate a quick cooling dip. In the fall, it is common to see camels at the shoreline frolicking along the beach in the shallow waters.
As the camel rolled around enjoying the water, we thought we saw Nessie, but we were mistaken. The beach is located in the southern region of the Sultanate of Oman, within the Dhofar Governorate near Salalah (highlighted in yellow below).
While the camels near Salalah enjoy a quick dip at the beach, there are camels further up the coast that take a 10-kilometer swim to forage on a tiny island. Known as the swimming camels of Oman, these animals commute from Shannah on the mainland to the small island of Masirah (Shown in the circle below).
The breed of unique swimming camel are kharai. They are endangered because industrialization is encroaching on their primary food source in mangrove swamps. Environmentalists and animal rights activists are working to protect remaining habitats. Camels may swim from one beach to another while searching for food. Male camels might move from beach to beach searching for a female if they smell the girl camels nearby.
We’re sorry we got your hopes up with Nessie. Who knew camels could swim?
Please share.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.
