Lately, “Sanda” has been trending across Facebook, with phrases like “Kafeel’s son” and “Sanda” flooding reels and newsfeeds.
The sudden wave has sparked a flurry of memes and online jokes — but many users are still scratching their heads, wondering what it’s all about.
The beginning of the buzz
The term "Kafeel" refers to the employer or sponsor of migrant labourers in the Middle East.
These employers’ children, especially the youngest ones, have become subjects of playful online banter.
This trend originates from videos made by Bangladeshi vloggers working in Saudi Arabia. These expatriates share glimpses of their daily lives on Facebook. Videos featuring their Kafeel and their families often go viral.
Through such videos, the spiny-tailed lizard, or Sanda, has gained unexpected attention, especially when featured as biryani, reportedly a favourite dish of the Kafeel’s youngest son.
In these videos, workers are seen catching Sanda in the desert for their Kafeel’s family, particularly for the children, and preparing it for consumption.
According to the vloggers, Sanda meat becomes juicier around May when the lizards grow fat from eating desert plants. That is why more such videos are surfacing now.
One of the most popular vloggers is Abdul Mannan, who, according to his Facebook profile, lives in Dammam, Saudi Arabia and herds goats and camels. His videos often feature donkeys, camels, goats, and the spiny-tailed lizard, Sanda.
In one viral reel, Abdul Mannan shows a wild lizard, explaining it as "Sanda". The video has already garnered over 9 million views and continues to be widely shared, fuelling further buzz about Sanda.
What is Sanda?
Sanda is not a single animal; it is a common name for multiple desert-dwelling species within this genus.
According to a few popular websites, Sanda refers to the spiny-tailed lizard (Uromastyx), part of the Agamidae family, which includes over a dozen subspecies. In Arabic, it is known as Dabb.
These lizards have broad heads, thick bodies, and four legs. Adults range from 35 to 49cm (13–19 inches) in length. Their tails are thick and covered with spines, which they use to ward off predators.
They inhabit arid and semi-arid regions stretching from North Africa to India. The vast deserts of Saudi Arabia serve as one of their natural habitats. During the day, they bask in the sun; by evening, they retreat into burrows for safety.
When threatened, they quickly hide in rocky crevices and feed mostly on leaves and fruits, occasionally eating small insects.
Interestingly, Sanda can also change colour depending on the temperature and season. In colder weather, they darken to absorb more heat, while in hotter conditions, they become lighter to stay cool. This helps them regulate body temperature effectively.
Who eats Sanda?
Some desert-dwelling communities, especially the Bedouin in the Middle East, hunt and consume Sanda.
In India and Pakistan, certain local groups also hunt them. Sanda’s white meat, often likened to chicken, is considered a delicacy in some cultures. The tail portion is especially prized, and some even prepare it as biryani.
There is also a widespread belief in the medicinal value of Sanda oil, especially in traditional Ayurvedic and Unani medicine. It is popularly promoted as a natural aphrodisiac in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
However, modern science does not support these claims. In fact, Sanda oil from unknown sources may cause adverse effects, including skin irritation, allergies, or other health complications.
From social buzz to survival crisis
Sanda, once just a desert creature, is now battling for survival as species under the Uromastyx genus are listed as endangered in many regions.
Especially in the Middle East, rampant poaching has become a serious issue.
In Saudi Arabia, hunting or trading Sanda without permission is punishable with fines up to 30 million Saudi Riyals or up to 10 years in prison. In India, the species is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which offers the highest level of legal protection.
Yet illegal hunting continues, particularly in Pakistan, where enforcement is weaker.
Without urgent steps such as stricter enforcement, habitat conservation, and public awareness, this once-obscure reptile could soon disappear from our deserts.