Garguan
| Garguan gar-gwahn pl. garguans | |
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| Fact File | |
| Classification: | Mammalian |
| Frequency: | Uncommon |
| Size: | Large |
| Lifespan: | 70 years |
| Domesticated?: | Yes |
| Diet: | Omnivore |
| Biome(s): | Tundra |
Garguans are furry white beasts native to Dhruv. They are approximately 9-10 feet at the shoulder and weigh in at around 5 tonnes. They have long neck which has similar proportions as the horse, and a large head, with shape similar to a llama. Males have thick horns on their head, similar to that of a ram, but less curved. Both genders have a thick mane that goes down their spine and partially covers their eyes, though the mane of a female tends to be longer.
Their bodies are similar to a yak, having a straight back, with a hump around the shoulder region. They have thick legs, like that of an elephant, with wide, cloven hooves that act like snowshoes so they can travel through snow with ease. Their cloven hooves are extremely hard, and they can use them to break thick ice so they can drink the water beneath it. Stiff fur grows through the hooves to provide traction on ice.
The garguans have two layers of fur that help insulate their bodies, and is very similar to the fur of a polar bear. The thick fur allows them to survive in the cold water of their homeland for hours on end, so they can fish for food whenever they need to. Their fur is transparent, though it does appear pure white. Beneath their fur, their skin is pitch black.
Garguan herds consist solely of the females (cows) and their young (calves) that are all led by an older cow called the matriarch. The herd works together to take care of the calves, protect each other, and find food and water. If a member of the herd dies, the others will cover it with twigs and snow, and will mourn their loss by staying at the grave site for hours on end.
Males (bulls) live alone, or in bachelor herds that only meet females during mating season in Dyo, but otherwise act the same way as the herds of their female counter-parts. A cow will remain pregnant for 20 months, and give birth to one calf. Multiple births are extremely rare, and the chances of the calves and mother surviving such a case are nearly non-existent.
Calves nurse on their mother's milk for up to two years, though will eat solid food as early as four months. Females usually stay in their herd for their entire lives. However, if the herd becomes too large, four or five of the youngest adults will break off to form their own herd. Male calves are usually chased off around the age of ten. The males are forced to wander alone until they find a bachelor herd that will accept them.
Garguans as Pets
Garguans have been tamed by the northern tribes of Yki, and are used for transportation across the cold northern continent of Dhruv. They can carry up to four passengers and a driver at a time in the large baskets that are tightly secured to their back. In early times, the Yki rode the Garguans bare-back, as the material used to make the baskets and the straps that secured them weren't available. Today, these baskets are imported to them from regions south of them.
