By TIME Staff
In December Dubai is to hold its first Camel Marathon, which covers 31 miles and awards luxury prizes to winners. Camel racing is just one of a variety of unusual animal sports:
DOG SURFING
Canines have competed on the breakers in Hawaii and California since the 1920s; points are given for ride length, wave size and confidence.
SNAIL RACING
Since the 1960s, the World Snail Racing Championships in the English village of Congham have drawn entrants from as far away as Hong Kong.
PIG DIVING
In rural China, pig diving has become a recent draw for tourists. The Piggy Kingdom Family Amusement Park in Zhejiang province has pigs jump off a 39-ft. platform, some 6 ft. higher than the tallest Olympic ones.
–Naina Bajekal
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Contact us at letters@time.com