Algeria's fighting sheep

Rams have a fighting life of some four years

By Mohamed Arezki Himeur BBC, Algiers

Rambo is back. The news has spread like wild fire across Annaba, Algeria's fourth city.

Rambo has a very hard punch.

He brought down several opponents at this time last year, in the run-up to the religious festival of Aid El Adha, or the festival of sacrifice.

Now Muslims across Africa are preparing for the event again.

But this year, things could be more difficult for Rambo. He is a year older and has lost some of its agility.

He is already coming across opponents who are tougher, younger and lither than him. He risks losing his championship title.

Rambo, Hulk, Degdoug, Babai and Sbaa are not boxers, judo fighters or martial artists.

They are sheep with big horns which look like the handlebars of a bicycle, used in ram fighting - one of the oldest practices in Algeria.

The fighters return every year to numerous towns and villages of the country, ahead of the festival.

The fights are organised with discretion, away from the eyes of the security services.

Pampered

There are two types of tournament: one organised by children in their respective neighbourhoods, with their sheep which will be sacrificed on 11 February, the day of Aid El Adha; and one organised by adults with sheep prepared for this type of combat.

The competitors are trained for fighting. They are well kept, well fed, pampered and carefully groomed by their owners who show them off with pride.

These fighters are not sacrificed on the day of Aid, because they are brought up specially for the fighting, which takes place over 12 days before the festival.

These beasts cost double, sometimes four times the price of other sheep sacrificed on Aid.

The fights are organised in discreet places, known to those involved in this type of fighting.

The owners travel hundreds of kilometres with their beasts and supporters to take part in tournaments organised in other towns, and other regions.

Short career

The victorious sheep are exhibited in the main roads of the towns.

The competitors are trained to fight from a young age. They are chosen for their size.

But their career, which begins at the age of three, is very short.

It lasts a maximum of four years. Then they join the other sheep in the pen.