How did a fish end up in Saudi Arabia's AlUla's desert?

In the middle of Saudi Arabia’s golden sands lies an unlikely wonder — a rock that looks exactly like a giant fish taking a rest in the desert. 

Known as the Fish Rock of Wadi AlFann, the 200-metre-long formation (about the length of two football fields) has become one of AlUla’s most striking natural landmarks.

But how did a giant fish end up in the desert of AlUla?

According to the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), the fish-like shape was carved by erosion from ancient river systems over 500 million years ago, back when this land was part of the supercontinent Gondwana. 

Today, it is a centrepiece of the RCU's “Journey Through Time Masterplan,” which aims to turn AlUla into a leading destination for arts, culture, and heritage — while carefully preserving its unique desert treasures, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The formation gained fresh attention in 2022 when Saudi photographer Khaled Al Enazi shared breathtaking drone images of what he dubbed the Desert Fish.

“While I was documenting the area, a view of a mountain appeared in front of me, its shape suggesting a fish in the heart of the desert,” he told CNN.

His pictures sparked social media buzz, with some joking that the rock was actually the fossilised remains of a giant sea creature.

However, Al Enazi has reportedly said it is simply sandstone shaped over time by natural forces — though its uncanny resemblance to a giant fish continues to fascinate visitors and spark wild theories.

AlUla, often called Saudi Arabia's open-air museum, is full of such natural sculptures — from the famous Jabal Al-Fil (Elephant Rock) to formations that look like giant faces and mythical creatures. But the Desert Fish may be its most photogenic yet, looking as though it is swimming through the dunes — a surreal reminder that this vast desert was once shaped by water.