Camel
| File:Camel.png | |
| Release date | 4 January 2001 (Update) |
|---|---|
| Race | Camelus dromedarius |
| Members NPC? | No |
| Quest NPC? | No |
| Location | Kharidian Desert |
| Sells items? | No |
| Gender | Either |
| Examine | Oh, it's a camel. |
A Camel is a type of creature that inhabits the Kharidian Desert. These include dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius), which have one hump, Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus), which have two humps<ref>Creature Features - Camels, Australian Broadcasting Corporation</ref> and Ugthanki (Camelus Horribleus), which are exclusively found in the Kharidian desert.
Camels can be found in Al-Kharid, Ardougne Zoo and the Bedabin Camp.
Talking to camels
There are three phrases that players may say when talking to a camel:
- "Mmm... looks like that camel would make a nice kebab."
- "I wonder if that camel has fleas..."
- "If I go near that camel, it'll probably bite my hand off."
Perhaps not surprisingly, the camel's response to such a negative approach (shown in the player's message box) is equally hostile. One of the following three responses from the camel may appear:
- The camel tries to stamp on your foot, but you pull it back quickly.
- The camel turns its head and glares at you.
- The camel spits at you, and you jump back hurriedly.
Members may obtain the Camulet, which acts as an amulet of Camel-speak (later, Cramulet can be obtained), allowing players to speak to certain camels throughout the Kharidian Desert. When the player is wearing the camulet, the camel's response to their comment is: "How can you say such cruel things?"
However, players can only attack camels verbally - they cannot be physically attacked and neither can camels deal damage to players.
Notable Camels
- Alice the Camel - In Al-Kharid
- Al the Camel - In Al-Kharid
- Cam the Camel - North of Al-Kharid
- Elly the Camel - In Al-Kharid
- Ollie the Camel - In Al-Kharid
- Al Kharid Camel - Spoken to via NPC contact spell
- Ali the Camel - In Pollnivneach
- Neferti the Camel - In Sophanem
- Louis the Camel - Featured in A Christmas Warble.
Seasonal Event Camel
Louis the Camel featured in the 2009 Christmas Event, A Christmas Warble. Sporting a striped scarf to keep him warm, Louis could be found in the south-east corner of the Queen of Snow's Christmas Feast area. Players equipping a Camulet (members' item) were able to talk to him.
Comparison with real life
Both species of camel (C. dromedarius and C. bactrianus) are present in Al Kharid, with three dromedaries and three bactrians. This would not happen naturally in this world. The dromedary was originally native to northern Africa and western Asia, and was domesticated in central or southern Arabia at least as far back as 1400 BC.<ref>"Camelus dromedarius", NationMaster's Encyclopaedia</ref>
In contrast, the bactrian camel is native to the steppes of eastern Asia, and was domesticated some time before 2500 BC, probably in northern Iran or south-western Turkestan, independently of the domestication of the dromedary.<ref>"Camelus bactrianus", NationMaster's Encyclopaedia</ref> Although the domestication of both species pre-dates the setting of RuneScape, they were not domesticated in the same place geographically.
However, since RuneScape is not set in the real world, inconsistencies such as these are largely academic.