Camel wrestling is a sport in which two male Tülü camels wrestle, typically in response to a female camel in heat being led before them.
It is most common in the Aegean region of Turkey but is also practiced in other parts of the Middle East and South Asia.
Camel wrestling is seen in the cities of Aydin, Izmir, Mugla, Denizli, and Manisa in the Aegean region, Balikesir, and Canakkale in the Marmara region, Antalya, Burdur, and Isparta in the Mediterranean region of Turkey.
It is thought that this sport has its origins in the nomadic tribes who depended on camels for their livelihood.
It is mostly popular in the Aegean region, where contests are held in the winter months from December to March.
CAMEL WRESTLING LEAGUE
Also, there is a camel wrestling league organized every year in the Aegean Region and Mediterranean region in Anatolia. Contests are held under strict regulation to protect the welfare of the animals who may only wrestle once per day in a match that lasts for only 10 or 15 minutes.
WRESTLING CATEGORIES
Male camels are bred and trained specifically for wrestling and must be of a certain type, known as Tulu Camels. Camel wrestling is held in four categories, namely Foot, Middle, Under the Head, Head.
A camel can win in any of three ways; by making the other camel retreat, by making the other camel scream, or by making the other camel fall.
The camels fight by using their necks as leverage to force their opponent to fall down.
Most fighting camels are bred in Iran or Afghanistan. A successful camel can be sold for over $20,000.
The events can occasionally be hazardous to spectators if the camels attempt to flee through the crowd. On some occasions fights also break out between the owners of camels
