Post by Dyrisk on Feb 4, 2010 13:05:46 GMT -5
Scientific name: Tapirus Cornu
Common name: Prygurn (plural: prygurn)
History and short description: The Tapirus Cornu, or prygurn, as it is often called because of the unique snuffling sound it makes when searching for food, is quite an extraordinary species. After becoming nearly extinct during the last ice age, the prygurn have kept to themselves for thousands of years, hidden deep within the Alaskan wilderness. However, with the global average temperature rising, their numbers are beginning to grow enormously and they have started to reintroduce themselves to the rest of the world. They are a close relative to other Tapirs, though they show some distinct differences, including the ability to store nutrients in their upper body, similar to a camel's hump, and the two long, pointed horns protruding from their foreheads.
Stats, other info, etc
They are mammals
Length: 3.5-4 feet from nose to tail
Horn size: 9-15 inches
Weight: 300-330 lbs, female. 325-375 lbs, male (Roughly 75-80% of their body weight is in the front half of their bodies)
Height at shoulder: 2-2.75 ft, female. 2.2-3 ft, male
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Max speed: 15 mph (25 mph if charging when provoked)
Able to start breeding at: 2 years old
Average litter size: 2-3 young, which are known as calves
Legs: Front legs used to support weight while smaller, more nimble hind legs scramble up rocky terrain in the mountains
Tail: Though it appears to be nearly a foot long, it is actually only a few inches in length. The rest of it is just loose, messy hair.
Ears: Tilted back and slightly down to help them hear predators trying to sneak up on them.
Sounds: When threatened, they emit a low, gargling sound from the backs of their throats. When happy, they make a sound similar to a cat's purring, but the pitch is slightly higher.
Vision: Black and white, can see shades of green, but very little. It is a feature they have developed over the years to help them find plants for food.
They eat: Plants. They are herbivores. Their favorite food is moss from rocks, which they are able scrape off with rough, wide tongues which can extend up to five inches out of their mouth.
Tooth shape/size: Flat, roughly 1-2 inches wide, 1 inch long
Jaw strength: Up to 100 pounds per square inch for males, females generally a maximum of around 80-85 pounds per square inch
Preferred habitat: Dens with narrow entrances which then open into small rooms. (Dens 11 and 15 are good examples of this)
Groups: They generally live in small groups called hordes, which usually have between 5 and 10 members. On very rare occasions, however, hordes of up to 50 prygurn have been spotted.
Nutrients storage: They can hold between 2 and three weeks of nutrients in their upper body, which is similar to a camel's hump. They could survive for nearly 4 weeks with nothing to eat or drink, but would be very weak and may not survive after that long even if they managed to find food and water.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Strengths:
Two long horns coming out of their foreheads can be used to defend themselves. They are mostly used when the prygurn charges at it's target, but could also be used with a quick thrust at the enemy, though a prygurn doesn't have the anatomy to do this effectively. The horns also provide a small amount of protection to their faces, as they are placed just above the eyes, and a little towards the edge of their face.
Because they can store nutrients in the front half of their bodies prygurn are able to survive much longer without food than other animals. This is useful when harsh weather prevents them from finding food, whether it be due to plants being covered by ice and snow or withered away because of a drought.
Their ears are tilted down and back, allowing them to hear better in the direction that most predators sneak up from by instinct.
Weaknesses:
Because of the position of the horns, prygurn can only see directly in front of their faces. If an enemy jump at them from the side, it's very unlikely that the prygurn would notice them until they made contact.
Because of the difference in size between their front and back ends, their balance isn't very good.. Also, if a prygurn is knocked down, their hind legs become almost completely useless unless there happens to be a rock or other surfance nearby to use to help them get up. This is because the hind legs are made not for lifting their weight, but simply for supporting them for a few seconds while their front legs find a new place to lift themselves up to while climbing rocky terrain.
Though most predators instinctively attack from behind, if an attacker observes a prygurn or has dealt with them before, they will know that it is difficult to sneak up behind one but they are completely defenseless on the sides. Because of this, prygurn have trouble defending themselves from any hunter who has bothered to do their homework. The only chance of survival for a prygurn is to be able to stand up and run from the enemy. As a result, prygurn like to stay close to walls to protect at least one side of them, but they are still fairly vulnerable.
They're ugly as sin. Ok, it's not really a weakness, but I figured I would mention it here anyway, just because they really are. XD
Here is link to a picture of a prygurn. It was drawn by Justin Owens, not me, and I take no credit for any part of it. I only made the information above.
img442.imageshack.us/img442/9881/tapiruscornu.jpg
If you have any questions about anything I said above, of if you want any more information on prygurn, just let me know and I'll do my best to answer your questions.
Common name: Prygurn (plural: prygurn)
History and short description: The Tapirus Cornu, or prygurn, as it is often called because of the unique snuffling sound it makes when searching for food, is quite an extraordinary species. After becoming nearly extinct during the last ice age, the prygurn have kept to themselves for thousands of years, hidden deep within the Alaskan wilderness. However, with the global average temperature rising, their numbers are beginning to grow enormously and they have started to reintroduce themselves to the rest of the world. They are a close relative to other Tapirs, though they show some distinct differences, including the ability to store nutrients in their upper body, similar to a camel's hump, and the two long, pointed horns protruding from their foreheads.
Stats, other info, etc
They are mammals
Length: 3.5-4 feet from nose to tail
Horn size: 9-15 inches
Weight: 300-330 lbs, female. 325-375 lbs, male (Roughly 75-80% of their body weight is in the front half of their bodies)
Height at shoulder: 2-2.75 ft, female. 2.2-3 ft, male
Lifespan: 10-15 years
Max speed: 15 mph (25 mph if charging when provoked)
Able to start breeding at: 2 years old
Average litter size: 2-3 young, which are known as calves
Legs: Front legs used to support weight while smaller, more nimble hind legs scramble up rocky terrain in the mountains
Tail: Though it appears to be nearly a foot long, it is actually only a few inches in length. The rest of it is just loose, messy hair.
Ears: Tilted back and slightly down to help them hear predators trying to sneak up on them.
Sounds: When threatened, they emit a low, gargling sound from the backs of their throats. When happy, they make a sound similar to a cat's purring, but the pitch is slightly higher.
Vision: Black and white, can see shades of green, but very little. It is a feature they have developed over the years to help them find plants for food.
They eat: Plants. They are herbivores. Their favorite food is moss from rocks, which they are able scrape off with rough, wide tongues which can extend up to five inches out of their mouth.
Tooth shape/size: Flat, roughly 1-2 inches wide, 1 inch long
Jaw strength: Up to 100 pounds per square inch for males, females generally a maximum of around 80-85 pounds per square inch
Preferred habitat: Dens with narrow entrances which then open into small rooms. (Dens 11 and 15 are good examples of this)
Groups: They generally live in small groups called hordes, which usually have between 5 and 10 members. On very rare occasions, however, hordes of up to 50 prygurn have been spotted.
Nutrients storage: They can hold between 2 and three weeks of nutrients in their upper body, which is similar to a camel's hump. They could survive for nearly 4 weeks with nothing to eat or drink, but would be very weak and may not survive after that long even if they managed to find food and water.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Strengths:
Two long horns coming out of their foreheads can be used to defend themselves. They are mostly used when the prygurn charges at it's target, but could also be used with a quick thrust at the enemy, though a prygurn doesn't have the anatomy to do this effectively. The horns also provide a small amount of protection to their faces, as they are placed just above the eyes, and a little towards the edge of their face.
Because they can store nutrients in the front half of their bodies prygurn are able to survive much longer without food than other animals. This is useful when harsh weather prevents them from finding food, whether it be due to plants being covered by ice and snow or withered away because of a drought.
Their ears are tilted down and back, allowing them to hear better in the direction that most predators sneak up from by instinct.
Weaknesses:
Because of the position of the horns, prygurn can only see directly in front of their faces. If an enemy jump at them from the side, it's very unlikely that the prygurn would notice them until they made contact.
Because of the difference in size between their front and back ends, their balance isn't very good.. Also, if a prygurn is knocked down, their hind legs become almost completely useless unless there happens to be a rock or other surfance nearby to use to help them get up. This is because the hind legs are made not for lifting their weight, but simply for supporting them for a few seconds while their front legs find a new place to lift themselves up to while climbing rocky terrain.
Though most predators instinctively attack from behind, if an attacker observes a prygurn or has dealt with them before, they will know that it is difficult to sneak up behind one but they are completely defenseless on the sides. Because of this, prygurn have trouble defending themselves from any hunter who has bothered to do their homework. The only chance of survival for a prygurn is to be able to stand up and run from the enemy. As a result, prygurn like to stay close to walls to protect at least one side of them, but they are still fairly vulnerable.
They're ugly as sin. Ok, it's not really a weakness, but I figured I would mention it here anyway, just because they really are. XD
Here is link to a picture of a prygurn. It was drawn by Justin Owens, not me, and I take no credit for any part of it. I only made the information above.
img442.imageshack.us/img442/9881/tapiruscornu.jpg
If you have any questions about anything I said above, of if you want any more information on prygurn, just let me know and I'll do my best to answer your questions.