{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]],"date-time":"2026-03-17T07:59:27Z","timestamp":1773734367895,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,7]],"date-time":"2025-05-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1746576000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Heritage"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The authors examine the transformative impact of technological advancements on the customary traditions associated with camels in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). We conducted 21 semi-structured interviews with Emirati camel owners\/breeders, focusing on the effects of innovations in breeding, racing, beauty contests, and heritage preservation. The findings reveal that genetic technologies have reshaped camel husbandry by enhancing desirable traits, while introducing commercialization. In camel racing, robotic jockeys, biometric monitoring, and GPS tracking have revolutionized training and competition, making the sport a highly regulated, technology-driven industry. Similarly, camel beauty contests have been influenced by genetic selection, aesthetic standards, and controversial cosmetic enhancements. While these advancements have increased the economic value of camels, they have also altered traditional perceptions, raising concerns about the commodification of Emirati heritage. Additionally, online platforms and digital tools have facilitated the global promotion of camels, fostering connections between owners\/breeders and enthusiasts, while introducing new modes of engagement. The study demonstrates how technological progress both preserves and challenges the customary traditions associated with camels, offering insights into the intersection of modernization and cultural heritage in the UAE.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/heritage8050165","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,7]],"date-time":"2025-05-07T08:20:53Z","timestamp":1746606053000},"page":"165","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["From Heritage to High-Tech: The Impact of Technology on Camels in the United Arab Emirates"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"8","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4113-0560","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Robert M.","family":"Bridi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geography and Urban Sustainability, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1549-9804","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Adriaan","family":"De Man","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Tourism and Heritage, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 15551, United Arab Emirates"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Herbison, L., and Frame, G.W. (2025, January 20). Camel. Available online: https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/sports\/camel-racing."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Potts, D.T. (2016). Trends and patterns in the archaeology and pre-modern history of the Gulf Region. The Emergence of the Gulf States: Studies in Modern History, Bloomsbury."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.3197\/np.2014.180202","article-title":"Introduction. Reshaping tribal identities in the contemporary Arab world: Politics, (self-) representation, and the construction of Bedouin history","volume":"18","author":"Prager","year":"2014","journal-title":"Nomadic Peoples"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"235","DOI":"10.1353\/anq.2003.0021","article-title":"Where have the Bedouin gone?","volume":"76","author":"Cole","year":"2003","journal-title":"Anthropol. Q."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"The United Arab Emirates\u2019 Government Portal (2025, January 20). History. Available online: https:\/\/u.ae\/en\/about-the-uae\/history."},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Hawker, R.W. (, January February). Imagining a Bedouin past: Stereotypes and cultural representation in the contemporary United Arab Emirates. Proceedings of the Conference at Beirut Institute for Media Arts (BIMA), Available online: https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https:\/\/inhouse.lau.edu.lb\/bima\/papers\/R_W_Hawker.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi_24nq6I6NAxVZgv0HHVH4Gr0QFnoECBUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0V9LHCtbHpjxuZOpwmF69z."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Davidson, C.M. (2005). The United Arab Emirates: A Study in Survival, Lynne Rienner Publishers.","DOI":"10.1515\/9781588269645"},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Abed, I., and Hellyer, P. (2001). United Arab Emirates: A New Perspective, Trident Press Ltd."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Heard-Bey, F. (1982). From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates: A Society in Transition, Motivate Publishing."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kanna, A. (2011). Dubai, the City as Corporation, University of Minnesota Press.","DOI":"10.5749\/minnesota\/9780816656301.001.0001"},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"The United Arab Emirates\u2019 Government Portal (2025, January 20). The UAE\u2019s Economy. Available online: https:\/\/u.ae\/en\/about-the-uae\/economy."},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Embassy of the United Arab Emirates (2025, January 20). History. Available online: https:\/\/www.uae-embassy.org\/discover-uae\/history#:~:text=Founded%20in%201971%2C%20the%20United,before%20the%20modern%20nation\u2019s%20founding."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Katsap, A., and Silverman, F.L. (2016). Bedouins. Ethnomathematics of Negev Bedouins\u2019 Existence in Forms, Symbols and Geometric Patterns, Brill.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-94-6209-950-0"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wieczorek, M. (2024). Agents of social change: Cultural connections between Emirati women and camels. Br. J. Middle East. Stud., 1\u201322.","DOI":"10.1080\/13530194.2024.2410213"},{"key":"ref_15","unstructured":"AlWahaibi, I. (2025, January 30). The Camel as a Person. Available online: https:\/\/www.britishomani.org\/news\/bos\/the-camel-as-a-person#:~:text=If%20the%20man%20is%20attached,real%20man.In%20conclusion%2C%20the."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/08927936.2022.2084993","article-title":"Camels in the Bedouin community of Oman: Beyond the human\u2013animal binary","volume":"36","author":"Alwahaibi","year":"2023","journal-title":"Anthrozo\u00f6s"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"169","DOI":"10.1080\/13504630.2024.2439793","article-title":"So much more than the ship of the deserts! How naming of camels preserves identity, cultural heritage, and well-being","volume":"31","author":"AlWahaibi","year":"2024","journal-title":"Soc. Identities"},{"key":"ref_18","first-page":"85","article-title":"Camel racing in the Gulf. Notes on the evolution of a traditional cultural sport","volume":"94","author":"Khalaf","year":"1999","journal-title":"Anthropos"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"243","DOI":"10.2307\/3774109","article-title":"Poetics and politics of newly invented traditions in the Gulf: Camel racing in the United Arab Emirates","volume":"39","author":"Khalaf","year":"2000","journal-title":"Ethnology"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cooke, M. (2014). Tribal Modern: Branding New Nations in the Arab Gulf, University of California Press.","DOI":"10.1525\/9780520957268"},{"key":"ref_21","first-page":"22","article-title":"Displaying origins: Heritage museums, cultural festivals, and national imageries in the UAE","volume":"1","author":"Prager","year":"2015","journal-title":"Horiz. Humanit. Soc. Sci."},{"key":"ref_22","unstructured":"Rejwan, N. (2008). Arabs in the Mirror: Images and Self-Images from Pre-Islamic to Modern Times, University of Texas Press."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"598","DOI":"10.1111\/age.12858","article-title":"Old World camels in a modern world\u2013a balancing act between conservation and genetic improvement","volume":"50","author":"Burger","year":"2019","journal-title":"Anim. Genet."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"6707","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1519508113","article-title":"Ancient and modern DNA reveal dynamics of domestication and cross-continental dispersal of the dromedary","volume":"113","author":"Almathen","year":"2016","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Abri, M.A.A., and Faye, B. (2019). Genetic improvement in dromedary camels: Challenges and opportunities. Front. Genet., 10.","DOI":"10.3389\/fgene.2019.00167"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Al Abri, M., Alfoudari, A., Mohammad, Z., Almathen, F., Al-Marzooqi, W., Al-Hajri, S., Al-Amri, M., and Bahbahani, H. (2023). Assessing genetic diversity and defining signatures of positive selection on the genome of dromedary camels from the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula. Front. Vet. Sci., 10.","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2023.1296610"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"314","DOI":"10.1111\/1755-0998.12443","article-title":"The de novo genome assembly and annotation of a female domestic dromedary of North African origin","volume":"16","author":"Fitak","year":"2016","journal-title":"Mol. Ecol. Resour."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"318","DOI":"10.9755\/ejfa.v27i4.19906","article-title":"Role, distribution, and perspective of camel breeding in the third millennium economies","volume":"27","author":"Faye","year":"2015","journal-title":"Emir. J. Food Agric."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Al-Swailem, A.M., Shehata, M.M., Abu-Duhier, F.M., Al-Yamani, E.J., Al-Busadah, K.A., Al-Arawi, M.S., Al-Khider, A.Y., Al-Muhaimeed, A.N., Al-Qahtani, F.H., and Manee, M.M. (2010). Sequencing, analysis, and annotation of expressed sequence tags for Camelus dromedarius. PLoS ONE, 5.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0010720"},{"key":"ref_30","unstructured":"Camelicious Fresh Camel Milk (2025, January 20). Camelicious, Camel Milk for A Better Life. Available online: https:\/\/camelicious.ae\/."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"178","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anireprosci.2012.10.008","article-title":"Artificial insemination in dromedary camels","volume":"136","author":"Skidmore","year":"2013","journal-title":"Anim. Reprod. Sci."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wani, N.A. (2021). In Vitro embryo production (IVEP) in camelids: Present status and future perspectives. Reprod. Biol., 21.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.repbio.2020.100471"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"287","DOI":"10.1097\/01.jsm.0000181467.36774.fd","article-title":"Child camel jockeys: A present-day tragedy involving children and sport","volume":"15","author":"Caine","year":"2005","journal-title":"Clin. J. Sport Med."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"467","DOI":"10.1097\/JSM.0b013e318258772a","article-title":"Prevention of child camel jockey injuries: A success story from the United Arab Emirates","volume":"22","author":"Hefny","year":"2012","journal-title":"Clin. J. Sport Med."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chandramma, C., Prakash, P., Nandankar, P., Roopa, H., Kathir, I., and Singh, P. (2023). Automation of camel race by controlling DC motor speed using Blynk application through IoT. AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 2690, No. 1), ISET International Conference on Applied Science & Engineering (CASE 2021), Chennai, India, 28\u201329 October 2021, AIP Publishing.","DOI":"10.1063\/5.0120314"},{"key":"ref_36","unstructured":"Visit Dubai (2025, January 20). Dubai Camel Race Track. Available online: https:\/\/www.visitdubai.com\/en\/places-to-visit\/al-marmoom-camel-racing."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3107","DOI":"10.1007\/s00521-023-09238-w","article-title":"Artificial intelligence-based camel face identification system for sustainable livestock farming","volume":"36","author":"Koc","year":"2024","journal-title":"Neural Comput. Appl."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s11250-020-02551-9","article-title":"Ultrasound detection of cosmic filler injection of lips in camel beauty pageants: First report in veterinary medicine","volume":"53","author":"Tharwat","year":"2021","journal-title":"Trop. Anim. Health Prod."},{"key":"ref_39","unstructured":"The Guardian (2025, January 20). Camels Enhanced with Botox Barred from Saudi Beauty Contest. Available online: https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2021\/dec\/08\/camels-enhanced-with-botox-barred-from-saudi-beauty-contest."},{"key":"ref_40","unstructured":"AP News (2025, January 20). In UAE Desert, Camels Compete for Crowns in Beauty Pageant. Available online: https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/coronavirus-pandemic-sports-lifestyle-health-middle-east-8585e4046fd4b4f6ce0a435f9bfe62f5."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"350","DOI":"10.2460\/javma.229.3.350","article-title":"Veterinarians as advocates for animal rights","volume":"229","author":"Baggot","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hogh-Olesen, H. (2018). The Aesthetic Animal, Oxford University Press.","DOI":"10.1093\/oso\/9780190927929.001.0001"},{"key":"ref_43","unstructured":"Department of Culture and Tourism (2025, January 20). Camel, Available online: https:\/\/dct.gov.ae\/en\/search.aspx?keyword=camel."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ezawa, Y., Takita, M., Shiraishi, Y., Kakei, S., Hirotomo, M., Fukuta, Y., Mohri, M., and Morii, M. (2019, January 1\u20132). Designing authentication and authorization system with blockchain. Proceedings of the 2019 14th Asia Joint Conference on Information Security (AsiaJCIS), Kobe, Japan.","DOI":"10.1109\/AsiaJCIS.2019.00006"},{"key":"ref_45","unstructured":"Sayer, R.A. (1992). Method in Social Science: A Realist Approach, Psychology Press."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kitchin, R., and Tate, N. (2013). Conducting Research in Human Geography: Theory, Methodology and Practice, Routledge.","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315841458"},{"key":"ref_47","unstructured":"Flowerdew, R., and Martin, D. (2005). Tell me about: Using interviews as a research methodology. Methods in Human Geography: A Guide for Students Doing a Research Project, Pearson Education."},{"key":"ref_48","unstructured":"United Arab Emirates Ministry of Cabinet Affairs (2025, January 20). Livestock Statistics\u2014Camels by Age and Gender, Emirate, Available online: https:\/\/uaestat.fcsc.gov.ae\/vis?lc=en&fs[0]=FCSC%20-%20Statistical%20Hierarchy%2C0%7CLivestock%23ARG_LV%23&pg=0&fc=FCSC%20-%20Statistical%20Hierarchy&snb=4&df[ds]=FCSC-RDS&df[id]=DF_LSCAMEL&df[ag]=FCSA&df[vs]=1.2.0&pd=2015%2C&dq=.A.....&ly[rw]=GENDER%2CLS_AGE&ly[cl]=TIME_PERIOD&ly[rs]=REF_AREA&to[TIME_PERIOD]=false."},{"key":"ref_49","unstructured":"Global Media Insight (2025, January 20). United Arab Emirates Population Statistics 2024. Available online: https:\/\/www.globalmediainsight.com\/blog\/uae-population-statistics\/."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"167","DOI":"10.5252\/az2014n2a01","article-title":"The camel today: Assets and potentials","volume":"49","author":"Faye","year":"2014","journal-title":"Anthropozoologica"},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1093\/af\/vfac043","article-title":"Intensification of camel farming and milk production with special emphasis on animal health, welfare, and the biotechnology of reproduction","volume":"12","author":"Nagy","year":"2022","journal-title":"Anim. Front."},{"key":"ref_52","first-page":"496","article-title":"Introduction to Camel origin, history, raising, characteristics, and wool, hair, and skin: A review","volume":"4","author":"Khomeiri","year":"2015","journal-title":"Res. J. Agric. Environ. Manag."},{"key":"ref_53","unstructured":"Tusing, D. (2022, February 04). Bait Al Thiqa\u2014The Dubai Company Making Robot Jockeys. Available online: https:\/\/www.thenationalnews.com\/weekend\/2022\/02\/04\/bait-al-thiqa-the-dubai-company-making-robot-jockeys\/."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"837","DOI":"10.56093\/ijans.v92i7.115253","article-title":"Effect of endurance load exercise on physio-biochemical and hormonal parameters of single-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) at high altitude","volume":"92","author":"Kumar","year":"2022","journal-title":"Indian. J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"248","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-7998.2008.00535.x","article-title":"Energy expenditure during level locomotion in large desert ungulates: The one-humped camel and the domestic donkey","volume":"277","author":"Maloiy","year":"2009","journal-title":"J. Zool."},{"key":"ref_56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"341","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anifeedsci.2008.07.002","article-title":"Feed intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation and growth performance of camels fed diets supplemented with a yeast culture or zinc bacitracin","volume":"149","author":"Mohamed","year":"2009","journal-title":"Anim. Feed Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_57","unstructured":"Alamri, M.S.S. (2020). Phenotypic and Comparative Analysis of Beauty Camels (Camelus Dromedarius) from Oman. [Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Sydney]."},{"key":"ref_58","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"337","DOI":"10.1080\/16874048.2023.2272076","article-title":"Branding heritage in multi-cultural societies, with special references to preservation discourses","volume":"19","author":"Abdelfattah","year":"2023","journal-title":"HBRC J."}],"container-title":["Heritage"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2571-9408\/8\/5\/165\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T17:28:35Z","timestamp":1760030915000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2571-9408\/8\/5\/165"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,7]]},"references-count":58,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5]]}},"alternative-id":["heritage8050165"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/heritage8050165","relation":{},"ISSN":["2571-9408"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2571-9408","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,7]]}}}