The Journey of San Diego Zoo’s Movie Camels: From ‘The Ten Commandments’ to Stardom

In 1923, three camels associated with Cecil B. DeMille’s silent film ‘The Ten Commandments’ were brought to San Diego, initiating a fascinating narrative involving the local Zoo. The San Diego Union reported on June 19, 1923, that these camels, part of a large herd from the Lasky Film Company, were arriving in temporary housing at the San Diego Zoo as they awaited permanent accommodations.

Among the camels, ‘Turk’ and ‘Scar,’ both dromedary camels, were received from Lasky Film Corp., while a Bactrian camel named ‘Dick’ was acquired from the Ringling Circus. In a notable development, ‘Scar’ gave birth to ‘Sheik’ in 1924, marking the arrival of the first camel born at the San Diego Zoo. By 1926, ‘Sheik’ ventured into Hollywood himself, participating as a film star in productions like ‘Beau Geste’ and ‘Ben-Hur,’ strengthening the Zoo’s ties to the film industry.