Camel Breeding In Uzbekistan
In the Navoi region of central Uzbekistan, a community of ethnic Kazakhs make their living by breeding camels. People come from miles around to purchase the camel's milk, which is considered to have medicinal properties. (Umida Akhmedova, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service)
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Camels roaming in the sandy expanse of the Navoi region.
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Zamira, a camel milkmaid, with her family. For the Kazakhs, the skills of camel breeding are a closely guarded secret.
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Zamira milks the camel from one side, while a calf suckles from the other side.
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This is Bakytbek, Zamira's son. The children spend the whole summer helping their parents with the camels.
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Bakytbek holds the camel's back leg, while his mother milks it.
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This calf had to wait until after its mother was milked, before getting its share. It's a common practice.
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Bakytbek playing with his younger brother, near a shelter for the camels.
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The camels in their enclosure.
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Making bread in a tandoor oven.
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Another of the milkmaids – Zhanar.
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Zhanar’s mother-in-law.
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Zhanar’s mother-in-law lulls her grandson to sleep.
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A teenager lets a two-year-old camel out of her pen. Every year, there are fewer and fewer people engaged in animal husbandry here.
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This young man did not want to give his name. His parents said he was one of the few young people who had not gone to Kazakhstan -- staying instead to help on the farm.
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A camel which needs milking. Locals believe the milk can help with liver complaints, and other ailments.