Wildlife

The ecosystem of Arrakis is harsh, but several specialized species have adapted to the rocky outcroppings of Hagga Basin and Deep Desert in order to have a chance of surviving.

Muad'Dib

The Muad’Dib is a small, hopping desert rodent that has become a powerful symbol of survival and resourcefulness on Arrakis.

Biological Adaptation: The Muad'Dib is famous for its oversized ears, which serve two critical functions: dissipating excess body heat into the air and capturing trace amounts of moisture from the morning dew. This allows the creature to thrive in the desert without ever needing to drink standing water.

Fremen Symbolism: Though diminutive in size, it is revered by the Fremen as the "instructor-of-boys". It represents a creature that creates its own water and finds its own way in the dark, and it is for this reason that Paul Atreides chose the name as his Fremen identity.

Behavior and Habitat: The Muad'Dib can be found primarily in the dangerous open sands of Arrakis. These rodents can burrow into the sand if disturbed or after naturally wandering around.

Desert Hawk

Upon the Atreides' arrival on Arrakis, the Desert Hawk gained significant cultural importance, as the hawk has long served as the crest of House Atreides. These raptors soar under the intense radiation of Arrakis' sun, Canopus.

Biological Adaptation: Like most Arrakeen life, the Desert Hawk has evolved to be extremely water-efficient. They obtain nearly all their required moisture from the flesh and blood of their prey, like Muad'Dib, rarely needing to find water.

Desert Hawks may scavenge for some of their food, as the document Deserter camp note says, "I dragged his corpse out to the edge of the bled. Let the hawks and the storms take care of it."

Chiroptera

Commonly known as cielago, or desert bats, these flying mammals are highly adapted to the lightless environments of Arrakis. They are primarily found in the shaded crevices of the Hagga Basin and Deep Desert.

Behavior and Habitat: Chiroptera are strictly nocturnal, emerging from rocky fissures and cave ceilings during dusk and dawn. During the day, they remain in a state of torpor to conserve moisture.

Fremen Cultural Use: Beyond just surviving, these bats are famous for their use as messengers. The Fremen used a technology called "distrans" to imprint messages onto the bats' nervous systems, which they would then carry to other sietches to deliver messages.

Kulon

The kulon is a hardy, equine-like hybrid originally descended from Terran wild donkeys. Over millennia, the Fremen and Smugglers have genetically and behaviorally adapted and domesticated them to survive the arid climates of Arrakis.

Behavior and Interaction: Kulons are passive mammals. They can be found in the safety of settlements like Arrakeen and Harko Village, domesticated and used as pack animals and mounts.

Biological Adaptation: The Kulon possesses a highly specialized digestive system that allows it to extract moisture from the toughest desert scrub. Its skin is thick and leathery, acting as a biological seal that minimizes water loss, allowing the creature to better endure the planet's extreme climate temperatures!

Interactions: You can also pet Kulons in game. This feature was brought into the game in Chapter 2. To pet Kulons, you can simply approach the Kulon and an interaction menu will display on the Kulon which will state "Pet". To actually pet the Kulon click on your designated interaction button, which will be displayed (usually "E" on keyboard or "X" on your controller). Not all Kulons are interactive.

Locations:

1. Arrakeen (One Kulon can be found in the Central Plaza and another before the Residency Approach). (Both of them are interactive).
2. Harko Village (One Kulon can be found by going towards Neo-Carthag Outskirts - Exit Area and the other is by the Taxi Service facing the landing pad). (The first one is interactive but the other by the landing pad is not interactive).
3. The Anvil (Will be in a pen next to Maxim Kazmir), (This one is non-interactive).

Location of Kulon at The Anvil.

Kulon in Arrakeen.	Map: Kulon in Arrakeen.	Kulon by the Residency Approach in Arrakeen.	Map: Location of Kulon by Residency Approach in Arrakeen.
Kulon in Harko Village.	Map: Location of the Kulon in Harko Village.	Kulon in Harko Village by Landing Pad.	Map: Location of Kulon by Landing Pad in Harko Village.	Petting a Kulon in Arrakeen

Shai-Hulud

To the Fremen, Shai-Hulud is the physical manifestation of a deity, or "Maker". These massive, armored worms are apex predators of the sands, also known as "Old Man of the Desert", and are central to the ecosystem of Arrakis and the production of Spice Melange.

Behavior: Sandworms are extremely sensitive to rhythmic vibrations. Travelling on open sand will draw their attention quickly, and the usage of Holtzman devices like shields or suspensors are a death sentence because they emit intense vibrations that act like a beacon for Shai-Hulud.

The Spice Cycle:

1. Sand Plankton: The cycle begins with microscopic Sand Plankton, which feed on spice scattered by mature sandworms.
2. Sandtrout: These plankton grow into sandtrout, leathery, slug-like "larval" forms. Their primary role is to seek out and encapsulate water deep underground, as water is lethal to adult sandworms.
3. The Pre-Spice Mass: As sandtrout gather around water pockets, their fungal excretions mix with the water. This creates a volatile Pre-Spice Mass that produces high levels of carbon dioxide gas.
4. The Spice Blow: Eventually, the gas pressure becomes so extreme that it triggers a massive underground explosion called a spice blow. This erupts to the surface, scattering the pre-spice material across the sand. Millions of sandtrout are killed in this event.
5. Refining into Melange: Once exposed to the sun and air of Arrakis, the pre-spice mass dries and undergoes a chemical reaction to become the usable Spice Melange.
6. Growth into Shai-Hulud: The few sandtrout that survive the explosion enter a dormant state for several years before emerging as small, juvenile sandworms. Over centuries, these grow into the massive Shai-Hulud, continuing to patrol the desert and spread more plankton to start the cycle anew.