Shafaq News/ Ghazi Obaid, a resident of the Rabia area in the western Nineveh Province, along with his three wives and 18 children, has adopted an unconventional way of tending to their camels in the pastures of the Kurdistan region.

Breaking the norm of the typical desert-dwelling lifestyle of camels, the family opted to settle in the mountains of Dohuk Province as climate change hit hard in their abode.

Obaid recounted to Shafaq News Agency the story of his relocation from Rabia to Dohuk.

"I previously had 50 camels that I tended to in the Rabia area, but due to the drought, 29 of them perished," he said, "consequently, I had considered a permanent move to Dohuk in the Kurdistan region, specifically to the village of Bajalor, north of Dohuk, to preserve the remaining camels, along with 400 sheep."

Obaid acknowledged "the challenges of rearing and grazing camels here because of the rugged topography and the scarce shrubs and bushes that the camels can sufficiently feed on. However, overall, it is better than the previous situation, and thus, I have managed to maintain the camels and livestock that I own."

The herder further explained that "many livestock herders, particularly from the provinces of Anbar, Saladin, and Nineveh, come to the pastures of Dohuk throughout the year to graze their livestock, leasing suitable grazing land from locals in exchange for specific amounts before returning to their hometowns. Others, like me, opted to settle here permanently."

Obaid highlighted that the changing climatic conditions tipped the scales, prompting a transition from their original areas to new regions that may not be familiar to the camels and their living conditions.