Camels are entering beauty contests, and some owners have even turned to 'cosmetic procedures' to boost their chances! Oman recently held its annual camel beauty pageant, but a scandal erupted when it was discovered that some owners had gone to extreme lengths, including Botox, lip fillers, and nose jobs, to help their camels win — sparking ethical controversies.
According to ODDITYCENTRAL, Oman hosted the 2026 Al Musanaa Camel Beauty Festival, a cultural event steeped in history. Participants carefully select and breed camels to showcase glossy coats and elegantly long necks. In addition to fur and physique, facial features are also critical criteria in judging. To give their camels plump lips, lush eyelashes, and prominent humps, more and more owners have begun resorting to cosmetic procedures for their animals.
This year, during inspections, veterinary teams discovered that several camels had clearly had fillers injected into their lips. Some had stiff facial expressions due to Botox injections, while others had silicone implants in their noses to reshape the lines. Even more strikingly, some owners had injected substances into their camels’ humps to make them fuller and had even administered growth hormones to accentuate muscle definition.
The motivation is clear: winning camels can bring in considerable profits for owners through sales and breeding. This lucrative incentive has led some to take risks and resort to cosmetic procedures. Although the organizers did not disclose the total prize money for this year, past champions have often brought in substantial earnings, providing motivation for cheating.
Veterinarians warned that these cosmetic procedures not only violate competition rules but can also harm the camels’ health. Filler injections can cause chronic inflammation, hormone shots can result in reproductive issues, and Botox can affect a camel’s ability to eat and drink. To ensure fairness and protect animal welfare, 20 camels suspected of undergoing cosmetic procedures have been disqualified from the competition.