Huge fish-shaped rock emerges from the desert - CNN

(CNN) — In the shimmering vigor of the Saudi desert, it could beryllium dismissed arsenic a mirage -- but lensman Khaled Al Enazi. has the pictures to beryllium helium truly did spot a elephantine fish-shaped stone emerging from the sands.

Al Enazi captured images of the antithetic enactment utilizing a drone portion signaling the archaeological treasures of Saudi Arabia's Al-Ula region -- an country known for past structures that rival Jordan's Petra city.

"While I was documenting the area, a presumption of a upland appeared successful beforehand of me, its signifier suggesting a food successful the bosom of the desert," helium told CNN via email.

Al Enazi says he's astir apt not the archetypal idiosyncratic to brushwood the stone formation, but helium believes his aerial position meant helium was the archetypal to enactment its funny shape.

"A photographer's oculus sees what radical bash not see," helium said.

The lensman fittingly named the stone Desert Fish.

In drone footage recorded by Al Enazi successful June this year, the stone enactment resembles an aquatic carnal swimming done the aureate sand, its dorsal fin-like structures besides suggesting it could beryllium a shark emerging from the depths to stalk its prey.

Viral sensation

Since his images were shared, Al Enazi has had to disappoint imaginative societal media users who claimed the rocks are really the remains of a elephantine oversea beast.

"Some person mentioned that it is simply a existent food that was fossilized millions of years ago, but that's not the case," helium said. "It is sandstone formed by galore factors."

Video of Desert Fish shared successful a tweet successful July has amassed much than 29,000 views.

The lensman is presently moving connected creating his ain YouTube transmission dedicated to documenting the Al-Ula portion and its fascinating landscape.

Covering astir 9,000 quadrate miles (22,500 quadrate kilometers), Al-Ula region is location to 1 of the world's astir melodramatic godforsaken scenes.

Ancient Nabataeans established their large confederate metropolis conscionable northbound of Al-Ula vale and carved spectacular tombs into rocky outcrops astatine Mada'in Salih, present a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Some of Al-Ula's rocks, carved by the elements, person taken connected amazingly sculptural -- and quality -- forms.

One rock, known locally arsenic Jabal Al-Fil, is celebrated for its resemblance to an elephant.

Top representation credit: Khaled Zaad Al Enazi