When humans attack - Talking Point

The "Uromastyx maliensis" or "Dhab" in Arabic

Image Source: http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org

People these days will eat anything one can possibly imagine. When I first heard that people eat frogs and turtles, I was speechless; more appropriately, shocked - out of disgust. I slowly realized that these animals are quite commonly served as portions of a meal, and are even considered delicacies in many parts of the world. I then heard about people eating rabbit meat, camel meat, snakes, sharks, caviar, sushi (raw fish) and many other animals which I could never imagine people would even consider even bringing close to their mouths, let alone eating them. Time and again I was overwhelmed by the kinds of things people would eat. If I now hear someone eating an animal that I would never imagine being part of a decent meal, I usually don't feel disgusted or shocked, simply because somewhere, someone else is chewing on something even more disgusting.

I was born and raised in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E), which happens to be a desert landscape as is most, but not all of the Middle East. The capital city of U.A.E is Abu Dhabi, and all these years I had absolutely no clue as to the origins of the city's name. Recently, a friend of mine who is a U.A.E national informed me that the city was named after a desert dwelling reptile known as "Dhab" in Arabic. The vast deserts of the Middle East are home to these cold-blooded creatures, sometimes known as "Spiny-tailed Lizards". The scientific name for this creature is "Uromastyx Maliensis", and is found in large numbers in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. The Bedouins in the deserts of the Middle East are fond of what this creature has to offer, particularly, it's meat and it's hard skin. The Bedouins claim it tastes like fish, only without the repugnant odor, and hence it is also known as "the fish of the desert". Repulsive as it may seem, it is popular amongst a very small population that lives in the deserts, but most people would rather see these creepy lizards in a cage.