Camel beauty pageant champion lives on after scientists clone 11 calves

Offspring from Mabrokan wow audiences at Adihex

The two camels were cloned using the famous Mabrokan's frozen cells. Victor Besa / The National

Two cloned camels took centre stage on day four of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (Adihex) on Tuesday.

They are the cloned offspring of one of the most famous and valuable camels in history, Mabrokan, whose cells were used to successfully clone 11 calves in total. Before his death in 2010, Mabrokan won several beauty awards, which inspired the UAE’s Biotech Research Centre to freeze his cells.

On Tuesday, four years after their birth, two of his cloned offspring wowed audiences at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. They were not for sale, or on display during the exhibition’s camel auction, and instead there to showcase the research centre’s hard work.

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The goal of the camel cloning project is to marry cultural history with innovation and preserve the most prized camels for future generations.

Visitors admire the cloned camels at Adihex. Victor Besa / The National

How significant is the camel auction?

Aside from the clones, the camel auction has so far fetched total sales of Dh1.7 million ($480,000), state news agency Wam reported. This follows total sales of Dh2.5 million at last year’s event. It featured young, purebred Arabian camels from prestigious bloodlines with detailed pedigree information.

Organised by Adnec with the Emirates Falconers’ Club, the exhibition is set to run until Sunday, September 7. This year’s is the largest such event yet, featuring an extensive programme of activities across 15 sectors.

It has undergone continuous growth, attracting more than two million visitors since its inauguration, with features such as eight falcon auctions – four held before Adihex and four during the exhibition. This year's event includes a falcon beauty contest, Arabian Saluki beauty contest and the most beautiful falcon hood and perch.

On Saturday, those in attendance told The National the event embodies some of the foundations of Emirati culture, activities and heritage that have not only survived for thousands of years, but provided a means of survival.