In the sizzling heat of the Saudi desert, it might be dismissed as a mirage – but photographer Khaled Al Enazi. the images proved that he really did spot a huge fish-shaped rock emerging from the sand.
Al Enazi captured images of the unusual formation with a drone while mapping the archaeological treasures of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ula district – an area known for ancient structures that rival the Jordanian city of Petra.
“As I was documenting the area, a mountain appeared in front of me, shaped like a fish in the heart of the desert,” he told CNN via email.
Al Enazi says he’s probably not the first person to have encountered the rock formation, but he believes his aerial perspective meant he was the first to notice its odd shape.
“A photographer’s eye sees what people don’t see,” he said.
The photographer appropriately named the rock Desert Fish.
In drone footage captured by Al Enazi in June this year, the rock formation resembles an aquatic creature swimming through the golden sands, with its dorsal fin-like structures also suggesting it could be a shark emerging from the depths, in order to pursue its prey.
Ever since his pictures were shared, Al Enazi has had to disappoint fanciful social media users who have claimed the rocks are actually the remains of a giant sea monster.
“Some have mentioned that it’s an actual fish that was fossilized millions of years ago, but that’s not the case,” he said. “It’s sandstone formed by many factors.”
Desert Fish’s video, shared in a tweet in July, has amassed more than 29,000 views.
The photographer is currently working on creating his own YouTube channel dedicated to documenting the Al-Ula region and its fascinating landscape.
Covering nearly 22,500 square kilometers, Al-Ula County is home to one of the most dramatic desert scenes in the world.
The ancient Nabataeans founded their southern metropolis north of the Al-Ula Valley and carved spectacular tombs into the rocky outcrops of Mada’in Salih, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Some of Al-Ula’s element-sculpted rocks have taken surprisingly sculptural — and human — forms.
A rock known locally as Jabal Al-Fil is famous for its resemblance to an elephant.
فيديو:
— ياسر الضحيان (@Yalduhaiyan) July 18, 2022
سمكة الصحراء 🐟🏜 في #العلا #السعودية 🇸🇦💚Desert fish in Al Ula in Saudi Arabia من أبداع خالد العنزي @k_zaal1 pic.twitter.com/TApzo5QWLu
Photo credit above: Khaled Zaad Al-Enazi
