A camel beauty pageant in Oman descended into controversy when 20 camels were disqualified after their owners used cosmetic enhancements such as injectable fillers, silicone wax, and Botox to artificially enlarge their humps and alter other features. Veterinary inspectors discovered these procedures at the 2026 Camel Beauty Show Festival in Al Musanaa, where camels are judged on coat, neck, head, and hump quality. Such tampering is increasingly common in the camel breeding industry, where winning pageants can yield multi-million dollar prizes and significantly boost a camel’s market value.

Festival organizers have vowed to crack down on these deceptive practices by imposing strict penalties and employing advanced technology, including X-rays, to detect tampering. Similar scandals have occurred at other major events like Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, which also bans cosmetic alterations. Animal rights advocates condemn these procedures as cruel and potentially harmful, citing risks such as severe pain, infections, and complications from silicone migration. The crackdown reflects growing efforts to preserve the integrity of camel pageants and protect animal welfare.