A goat with unusual characteristics was sold by a Saudi Arabian businessman for $3.5m, if reports in the kingdom are to be believed.

Arabic-language newspapers on Monday published both a photo of the goat in question and the cheque that was apparently used to pay for it. The animal appeared to have a strange, patchwork quality to its coat, prompting some ‘experts’ on social media sites to label it a rare breed.

None of the reports specified the name of the buyer, where he was located, or what he planned to do with the goat. Goats and sheep are often sacrificed by Muslims during Eid ul Adha marking the end of Hajj.

“This should not be encouraged... especially when more than 2m Syrian refugees languish in makeshift tents in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon,” said one commentator on Twitter.