A new Minecraft mob has arrived as part of Mojang's mount madness, but taming it won't be easy

Out of the blue, a new rideable Minecraft mob has been revealed. I say 'new;' it's more a different form of an existing mount, but it's exciting nonetheless. Say hello to the camel husk, which is the new pet of choice for the desert-dwelling husks - and potentially a new companion for you, too. However, actually securing one for yourself could be a dangerous undertaking.

Minecraft is one of the best sandbox games for good reason - it's enormous, full of emergent moments, and it refuses to stop expanding. Arriving for testing in Minecraft Java today, camel husks are a new mob that put a slightly different spin on the existing camel. They still have space for two passengers, and are passive so can technically be tamed very easily. However, when you encounter them, they may already be under the ownership of spear-wielding husks. Yes, the sandy zombs love to cruise around the desert on camel husks, and they're going to be armed with Minecraft's latest weapon - one that has been receiving buffs like there's no tomorrow.

Moreover, a second new Minecraft mob is hitting Java, which cranks the danger levels even higher if you want to commandeer a camel husk. The parcher (a play on 'parched' and 'archer') is a new hostile mob and desert skeleton variant "that favors the bow and likes to pepper players with arrows." You'll find them roaming alongside husks, so you'll have both ranged and close quarters foes to deal with before landing yourself the new mount.

Two new mobs in one day - you are spoiling us, Mojang. But wait, there's more news to share - the ability to let all mounts swim is also being tested. They won't be quite as swift as they are on land, but your days of taking the long route around bodies of water are over. This is a huge change, and one that those exploring the farthest reaches of the Overworld will no doubt be happy to see.

As mentioned, all of this is available to play around with in Minecraft Java if you've got snapshots enabled, but Mojang says the new mobs and mount swimming will also hit Bedrock preview and beta very soon.

For more, check out our guides on the best Minecraft seeds and the best Minecraft mods to spice up your experience.

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