Saudi Arabia has introduced a university diploma in camel breeding and care, marking the first time this specialised field will be offered as a formal academic discipline in the Kingdom, Gulf News reported on August 21.

Camels have been part of the cultural fabric of Arabia and Central Asia for centuries, originally used for their ability to cross large deserts without the need for large amounts of water whilst carrying goods from China to Europe along the ancient Silk Road.

The programme, established through an agreement between the Camel Club and King Khalid University (KKU), aims to advance scientific and practical knowledge in the camel sector. The camel breeding sector is known as one of the most traditional industries in the Kingdom.  

Hamad Al Athba, President of Qatar Camel Club has lauded the initiative, saying its significance for the development of camel care and breeding practices would help benefit the region.

Musafir Al Wadaei, President of the Applied College in Dhahran Al Janoub, said that this collaboration would bolster Saudi cultural heritage and foster scientific partnerships.

Camels, often referred to as "ships of the desert", hold immense cultural and economic importance in Saudi Arabia, with an estimated population of 1.5mn in the country.

Thanks to unregulated breeding in Australia after their introduction to that country, camels have even been exported back to Arabia to reduce numbers in the faraway country.  They have been integral to Bedouin life for centuries, valued for their adaptability to harsh desert conditions and their role in traditional transportation, trade, and social status.

Earlier, in 2023, the mode of communication, known as “Alheda’a,” was inscribed in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage, highlighting its deep history in the country and Arabian peninsula.

According to the UN, a skilled camel herder can use his voice to soothe an animal, and also make it kneel.

"There is a special language between the owner of a camel and his camel," explained 37-year-old Marri,” told Daily Sabah previously.

Herders train their camels to recoginise the difference between the left and the right through a technique dubbed as “camel whispering” which takes years to develop and train in.