Dozens of Camels Disqualified in Oman Beauty Pageant Over Cosmetic Surgery Scandal

Al Musanah. Camel beauty pageants are considered a matter of great prestige in Arab countries. A major scandal has emerged from the recently concluded 2026 Camel Beauty Show Festival in the Omani city of Al Musanah.

During the competition, veterinary doctors investigating the matter found that 20 camels had been artificially enhanced for beauty, leading to their disqualification. In this centuries-old tradition, standards of beauty for camels include lustrous coats, long necks, attractive lips, long eyelashes, and a firm hump.

However, in recent years, in the race to win, camel owners have resorted to banned cosmetic surgeries. In this year's competition, unusual and artificial methods were found to have been used, such as injecting fillers into camel lips, applying Botox to tighten facial muscles, using silicone implants to shape the nose, and inflating humps with air to make them appear larger.

Why is Cosmetic Surgery Performed on Camels?

There is a significant financial interest behind artificially decorating camels in this manner. Not only does the price of the winning camel skyrocket, but the owner can earn millions by selling its breeding rights. Driven by the lure of this large sum of money, many choose unethical paths.

Veterinarians have warned that such artificial intervention seriously affects the camels' health. Experts state that fillers used on the lips can cause long-term inflammation, hormone injections can reduce fertility, and Botox applied to the face can make it difficult for the camels to eat and drink.

Interestingly, this problem is not new. Five years ago, 43 camels were removed from the competition due to a similar controversy.