Twelve camels have been disqualified from an annual Saudi beauty contest after their owners were found to have used Botox.
The animals were ejected from the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, taking place near Riyadh, for violating strict beauty contest rules.
Cash prizes for camel competitions at the 28-day festival total $57 million, so pressure to cheat can be intense.
A new handbook was issued to beauty contest entrants last year, Newshub reports.
"Camels that are found with drugs in the lips, shaved, dyed in any parts of the body, or with changes from natural form are not allowed," the handbook says.
Aside from the beauty contest there are awards for camel racing, obedience training, camel hair art and the best photographs of camels.
Chief judge of the show, Fawzan al-Madi, told Reuters: "The camel is a symbol of Saudi Arabia.
"We used to preserve it out of necessity, now we preserve it as a pastime."
In recent years the Saudi royal family have boosted the profile of the camel festival as they emphasise aspects of traditional culture, while at the same time pushing for societal reform.
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This article has been adapted from its original source.
