Poultry rearing is a common tradition among most farming communities worldwide as a source of meat, eggs or chicks to sell. But there is another use for some breeds of roosters — cockfighting. Now illegal in many countries, cockfighting continues in rural areas. Indian fighting roosters are popular with gamblers, who gather to watch them battle for a chance to make a few coins. In Egypt, both betting and animal fighting are illegal, and jail time will be the punishment for those participating, but that does not deter cockfighting devotees.
Fighting Roosters Still Popular in Egypt
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Referees release the fighting roosters at the beginning of the two-hour match. No one other than the referees is allowed into the arena, not even the owners of the fighting roosters. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
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An Indian fighting rooster will often keep fighting and not give up until death or fainting. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
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The fight ends when one of the roosters faints, or runs away from the other. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
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It is impossible for even the winning rooster to end the match without a bleeding head, sometimes even losing an eye or breaking a beak. (H. Elrasam/VOA)