Hundreds of camels have died of starvation and thirst after being driven out of Saudi Arabia during its row with Qatar.
Some animals perished when they got stuck in No Mans Land at the border between the two countries where there was insufficient food and water.
Others have been left to die by the roadside after their owners were given one hour to leave their farms.
Hundreds of camels have starved or died of thirst after their Qatari owners were forced to leave their grazing lands in Saudi Arabia
Farmers say they were given just an hour to leave the land the rented in Saudi, and many of their animals died on the trek back to Qatar
It happened when the Saudis kicked out the Qatari owners of more than 15,000 camels and 10,000 sheep as part of their row with the Gulf tiny state.
More than 9000 camels were expelled in just 36 hours.
Qatar, which is only 4400 sq. miles big, used the vast spaces of its neighbour, which is 830,000 sq miles, for grazing its animals.
Camel owner, Hussein Al-Marri, from Abu Samra, said: ‘I have returned from Saudi Arabia. I myself saw more than 100 dead camels on the road as well as hundreds of lost camels and sheep.’
Another farmer, who did not want to be named, added: ‘I lost 50 heads of sheep and five camels and there are 10 missing. I do not know anything about them.’
Video footage showed them herded into huge pens after restricted border opening hours meant only a few hundred could cross each day, and many died of thirst or untreated injuries.
Heartbreaking footage showed animals succumbing to the harsh conditions, including one female camel which died while giving birth.
Local reports said ‘as many as 100 baby camels died during the arduous journey back to Qatar.’
Another camel owner, Said Al Hajari said: ‘It was hard, the camels were exhausted because they did not know which way to go.
A camel is given food and water after arriving back on the Qatari side of the border
Camel farmers are just the latest victim of the Qatari diplomatic crisis after Saudi Arabia suddenly cut all ties with the Gulf nation last month
‘Many died and many had broken legs and injuries, and some of the camels are lost.
‘Some of the calves need their mothers’ milk and they may die.’
Last month the Saudi Arabia-led alliance launched a diplomatic and transport blockade over Doha’s closeness to Iran and alleged links with extremism.
At the same time it ordered all Qataris out of the country, including nomadic farmers and their animals.
Within days of the initial order some 15,000 camels and 10,000 sheep had passed safely back into Qatar.
But herds of animals were still being brought back into the country by farmers two weeks after the crisis began.
But many perished in the desert as temperatures reached 50 degrees C(122F).
Farmers said the situation would have been a lot worse had the Qatari government not intervened.
Many animals were saved when the environment ministry provided emergency shelter for more than 8000 camels on the Qatari side of the border with water tanks and food.
‘In the first days of the crisis we faced problems because it happened so quickly,’ one owner told The Peninsula newspaper. ‘We lost some camels and we don’t know if they were already dead or alive.
Thousands more camels are being detained at the border, with tight restrictions only allowing a few to cross each day, leading to more deaths
‘Now we have become familiar with the new situation and the Ministry did a lot to help us offering free fodder and water so we appreciate the government for responding quickly.’
The livestock and their animals had been given temporary shelter in south-western areas of the country.
Officials also said that specialist teams of animal experts and veterinarians had been assigned to the farmers.
They added that there were now more one million animals in Qatar, the vast majority of them sheep and goats. There were also around 70,000 camels.
Many camels are used for farming such products as milk and also breeding, a lucrative industry in Qatar, where camel racing remains very popular.
Now the farmers just want everything to return to normal.
‘We just want to live out our days, to go to Saudi Arabia and take care of our camels and go back and take care of our family,’ said one owner, called Ali Magareh.
‘We don’t want to be involved in these political things. We are not happy.
‘For one week they kept them waiting there. The camels were starving. Some of the males were fighting and in very bad condition.’
A spokesperson for international animal charity SPANA said: ‘All too often around the world, working animals and livestock become the forgotten victims of conflict and political disputes.
‘It’s a situation we’ve seen countless times before – in Somalia, Mali and many other locations.
‘It is critical that the welfare of animals is prioritised and that they receive essential requirements such as food, water, shelter and access to veterinary care.
‘It’s also important to remember that the communities that depend on working animals worldwide are usually the poorest in society – these animals are often all they have and are absolutely crucial to their livelihoods.
‘The loss of their animals can have devastating consequences for vulnerable families.’
There are still 150,000 Qatari camels in Saudi Arabia and it is not clear when or if they will be expelled.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4682076/Qatari-camels-die-kicked-farms-Saudi.html#ixzz4mRejv1hK
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Harry Reid has flown to Saudi Arabia to mediate the land and grazing disputes. He has brought 500 armed BLM experts for encouragement.
That first pic is funny.
Who needs a camel when you have a perfectly working car right there in the background?
The second pic is even weirder.
Why is that camels leg all tied up and hobbled? It’s almost like somebody wanted it to die.
And why is the water trough overflowing onto the sand in the third and fourth pics?
No self respecting desert farmer would waste water like that.
This story doesn’t even make any sense. If I was the Saudi’s, I’d kick the Qatari farmers out and keep all them camels and sheep. You know, like greedy, unscrupulous, murdering psychopaths tend to do.
Maybe because camels and sheep owned by Shiites (or non-Wahabbis, anyway) are “infidels” so they have to be left to starve. I wouldn’t put anything past the Saudis, and when are the Arabian people gonna take their country back? I mean, really…We the People here in the good ol’ USA are oppressed, but (for me anyway) it’s a day at the beach compared to Arabians (especially women!–and I’m no feminazi, either)
Finally, is there even a border between Saudi Arabia and Qatar? Because there is no border between Saudi and Oman…the Rub Al Kali desert’s shifting sands do not allow for a proper border, according to maps I have seen.
I would imagine that infidel sheep taste the same as non-infidel sheep.
Unless, of course, you happen to put some KC Masterpiece Infidel sauce on it.
Even if they could tell the difference between an infidel camel and a non-infidel camel, it wouldn’t make much difference if all they’re doing is selling it at Crazy Habib’s Used Camel Emporium. All infidel camels 50% off!
They’d still make a profit.
“C’mon down to Crazy Habib’s, we remove all the nasty infidel smell from our camels!”
This article has a new sponsor.
Camel cigarettes.
I think they have a new corporate slogan.
” I’d walk a mile for a camel.”
Well that’s if they’re not on the side of the road dead from thirst.
Then I’d have to walk a few miles without a camel.
Then call a cab.
Camel falafel.
Mmmm…I’m getting hungry.
Let’s not waste all that good meat.
There’s starving children out there in the desert.
Let’s open a new fast food restaurant called…
McCamels.
Hey look at the bright side..
It ain’t pork.