In pictures: Saudi herders use ‘special language’ to train camels

The mode of communication, known as Alheda’a, was inscribed last month on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, highlighting the deep traditional connection between camels and inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula.

A skilled camel herder can use his voice alone to soothe an animal, make it kneel, and even signal a change in direction as they trudge together through the desert sands, said the UN cultural agency.

Dubbed the “ships of the desert,” camels have long been a crucial mode of transportation in Saudi Arabia, conferring status on their owners and fuelling the rise of a lucrative camel-breeding industry.

There are “many rock carvings that show painted camels and tell the story of the camel, whether they have been used in war or trade,” said Jasser al-Harbash, CEO of the Saudi Heritage Commission.

The bid was submitted jointly with neighbouring Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

Camels know their name

Alheda’a can be deployed for a range of tasks: bringing together a scattered herd threatened by a coming sandstorm, for example, or soothing camels as they drink water.

Saudi herder Mansour al-Qatula learned about Alheda’a in just this way, watching his father and grandfathers while he was a young boy.

He said he intended to pass it on to his three children.

Earlier this month, Qatula brought his camels to the seventh edition of the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, which aims to promote the camel as an essential component of Saudi heritage.

“The owner of the camels calls his camels with special names, and through repetition, they know their name and respond to it,” he said, as one of his camels let out a cry of her own.

“Look,” he said, laughing as he stroked the animal. “She feels the same way.”