Finally! We are back at the camel market in Birqash near Cairo to support our new team on site and to be with the camels. Today it is very quiet at the market, but there is enough to do here: Our team immediately talks to some workers who are loading some camels onto a small vehicle. They want to convince them to handle the animals better. At the same time, our team continues its survey among the market visitors. We launched this in December, together with a professor of behavioral science. It should help us to better understand the workers at the market and their relationship with the animals.
Even though things are calmer at the market today, the camels are still treated badly: Ayman the camel is beaten several times by a young boy and forced into a truck by workers. Our team member Husein reacts immediately and speaks to the boy. He explains to him that camels feel pain, just like we do. Meanwhile, Ali and Mohammed try to persuade the workers not to beat the camels during loading. The workers are sure that it would not work without sticks and beating - but our team wants to show them alternatives. The next day, they will bring a few tools with which the workers can load the animals without violence.
