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laraehrlich-blog · 5 years

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Lanky, awkward, affectionate, and endearing… you’d be hard pressed to find someone who’s not intrigued by Giraffes. These evolutionary marvels, which get their name from the Arabic word Zarafa (“one who walks swiftly”), are statuesque wonders of elegant beauty.

Native to their numbers are declining fast due to poaching and habitat loss, with the Giraffe population in Africa dropping by 40%. They’re also preyed upon by added to the IUCN’s Endangered Species List, with several subspecies currently listed as critically endangered. So here’s a look at 50 fascinating facts about Giraffes, including the most common subspecies, their diets, and what’s being done to save them.

READ MORE: Animals in Kenya (A Guide to 40 Species)

Basic Giraffe Facts

Giraffe Neck & Body Facts

Giraffe Mating & Gestation

Giraffe Diet

Masai Giraffe

Reticulated Giraffe

Rothschild’s Giraffe

Why are Giraffes Endangered?

Giraffe Conservation

Fun Giraffe Facts

Giraffe in Nairobi National Park, Kenya

FACTS

1. Though once believed to be a single species, four distinct Giraffe species are now recognized: the Southern Giraffe, Masai Giraffe, Reticulated Giraffe, and Northern Giraffe. They’re classified based on their color, patterns, and geographical regions they inhabit. There are also several subspecies, including the Angolan Giraffe, Nubian Giraffe, West African Giraffe, Rothschild Giraffe, and Kordofan Giraffe.

2. The earliest known giraffid, the Palaeotragus, lived approximately 20 million years ago. This prehistoric species was tall, but did not have as long a neck as Giraffes do now. Living in areas of barren soil led them to reach for leaves in the trees. After countless generations of stretching, they evolved genetically into the Giraffe we know today.

3. Female Giraffes are known as cows, while males are called bulls and baby Giraffes are calves. They’re classified as a species of the Artiodactyla order, along with about 220 other mammals. These (including Cows, Deer, Okapi. The black and white, Zebra-like legs of the Okapi can be deceiving. But a closer look at its head shows a striking resemblance to the Giraffe’s long ears and face.

5. Giraffes live together in herds with an average of 10 to 15 individuals. This helps them survive against predators, taking turns feeding while others look out for danger. Though they’re generally mild-mannered, an adult Giraffe can shatter a Lion’s skull with one powerful kick.

6. Hungry carnivores are not the only threatening creatures the Giraffe has to fear. In fact, the most dangerous ones are no larger than a seed. Tiny ticks feast on the Giraffe’s blood, leaving them weak and tired. Nematodes and flatworms can also be ingested through water, causing infections and skin disorders. Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park has observed 79% of its Giraffe population showing signs of infection.

7. Surviving in the harsh African READ MORE: Top 10 National Parks in Tanzania

Giraffe in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

NECK & BODY FACTS

8. The neck is obviously the species’ most distinctive physical trait, measuring up to six feet long and weighing around 600 pounds. The length of the Giraffe neck gives the illusion of a complex anatomical structure underneath. But these towering creatures have only seven neck vertebrae (just like humans!), each of which is about 10 inches long and connected with ball-and-socket joints for flexibility.

9. The Giraffe’s neck length requires huge, hot air balloon-like lungs, which are eight times the size of a human’s. However, they breathe at a much slower rate because of the “dead air” that gets caught in their long tracheas. So previous breaths are not fully released before the animal begins inhaling again.

10. The Giraffe is the tallest living mammal on Earth. Males grow to be about 18 feet tall. Females are slightly shorter than the males, but still reach a staggering height of 14 feet.

11. Giraffes have humongous hearts that weigh around 25 pounds, generating enough pressue to propel blood up through their long necks and into their brains. They also have special blood vessels that contain valves that help prevent the backtracking of blood from gravity.

12. The two horns that stick out of the Giraffe head are not real horns, but ossicones– a form of thick cartilage covered in skin. Baby Giraffes are born with flat ossicones to avoid injury during birth, but they grow as they mature into adults. Males have thicker ossicones, which they use in mating-related battles.

13. Giraffes are fairly quiet beings: They do have a larynx (a.k.a. voice box), but rarely use it. If they become alarmed, a simple snort is often used to alert the herd of a possible threat. They’re also known to produce a mild humming sound during the night, perhaps to help locate other herd members in the dark.

14. Everything about the Giraffe is long, including its luscious eyelashes. This helps to keep dust out of their big eyes, which are the size of golf balls. They sit laterally on the Giraffe’s head, providing them with keen eyesight. They can’t see in full color, but they do see shades of red, orange, yellow-green, and violet.

15. Animals with hoofed feet, such as the Giraffe, are known as ungulates. Each foot has two even hooves. Each of an adult Giraffe’s feet are about 12 inches wide. These large hooves give them stability and prevent them from sinking into loose sand.

16. Sometimes known “stink bulls,” Giraffes carry a not-so-pleasant odor. Their fur releases natural repellents like indole and 3-methylindole (the same compounds found in feces) to ward off insects and parasites. Researchers believe this pungent odor tells potential mates that they’re free of parasites.

17. Giraffes have also been spotted using their grapple-like tongue to pick their noses.

READ MORE: Exploring Magical Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Reticulated Giraffes in Meru National Park, Kenya

MATING & GESTATION

18. Male Giraffe necks are massive and powerful. To establish mating rights, bulls participate in a fighting ritual in which they swing their mighty necks like swords, delivering powerful blows by ramming their heads into each other’s bodies. Their heavy skulls are coated with calcium to shield their brains. Although it is very rare, there have been recorded deaths from these intense battles.

19. Female Giraffes mate with dominant males in hopes of passing on strong genes. They ovulate every two weeks, allowing for year-round Giraffe mating. Ovulating females release pheromones that attract males, who may sip her urine to confirm she’s ready to mate. The willing males will follow her to await her decision on who she wants to reproduce with.

20. Once successful Giraffe mating occurs, the the gestational period is approximately 15 months. The mother brings her a single baby into the world while standing up, causing the newborn to fall about six feet to the ground. The rough landing breaks the amniotic sac and umbilical cord, and encourages the baby Giraffe to start breathing.

21. Some Giraffes have been reported returning to the place where they were born to give birth.

22. Within an hour of birth, a baby Giraffe can get up and walk on its own. This is crucial so that it can quickly move with the herd in case a predator comes near. Even with its shaky, lanky legs, the newborn stands taller than most humans (about six feet) and weighs an average of 150 pounds.

23. Mothers are extremely protective of their young. They will form “nursery groups” with other females from the herd, taking turns watching over the extremely vulnerable baby Giraffes. Sadly, only about 20% of all Giraffes live to reach adulthood.

24. Although they’re not considered adults until age four, male calves will leave their mothers at around 15 months old and join all-male bachelor groups. They’ll contest for dominance while still coexisting peacefully. Once they’re ready for mating, dominant male Giraffes will visit a female herd.

READ MORE: Meru National Park, Kenya (From Joy Adamson to Elsa’s Kopje)

Masai Giraffe in Kruger National Park, South Africa

DIET

25. Baby Giraffes are very dependent on their mothers for the first 4 to 6 months, relying on their milk for nutrients. After that, the mother will pull leaves off trees to feed to them until they’re tall enough to reach their own. An adult Giraffe will typically consume about 66 pounds of food per day.

26. Giraffes possess an 18-inch prehensile tongue that can grip objects, much like a ruminants. Much like bovines (including Cows, Buffalo, and the READ MORE: How to Get the Most For Your Kruger National Park Entrance Fee

Masai Giraffe in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

30. Also known as the Kilimanjaro Giraffe, the Masai or

32. Although Tanzania has recently increased its declared endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

READ MORE: Maasai Mara Conservancies (Community-Based Conservation in Kenya)

Reticulated Giraffes in Lewa Conservancy, Kenya

33. If you’ve been to any 34. The subspecies’ appearance is distinguished by their wide, reddish, polygonal spots, which are outlined with bright white lines.

35. Unfortunately, Reticulated Giraffe habitat is facing destruction, causing them to disappear in the wild. Their current population is around 15,780 (less than half what it was 30 years ago), causing them to be added to the IUCN Red List of endangered species in 2018.

36.) Two completely white Reticulated Giraffes were spotted at Kenya’s Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy in 2017. The unusual mother-daughter duo have a genetic condition called leucism, which inhibits pigmentation in the skin cells. Only three of these incredibly rare white-skinned Giraffes have been reported in sightings by the READ MORE: Minnesota Zoo Conservation (How Zoos Help Endangered Species)

Rothschild’s Giraffe at Giraffe Centre in Nairobi, Kenya

ROTHSCHILD’S

37. The Rothschild’s Giraffe is named after famous British zoologist Walter Rothschild, who is best known for the collection now housed at the Natural History Museum at Tring.

38. The subspecies is also known as the Baringo Giraffe (after the Lake Baringo area of northern Kenya) or the Ugandan Giraffe. All remaining in the wild inhabit protected areas in these two regions. It was once believed that the Rothschild’s Giraffe and the Nubian Giraffe were completely different subspecies, but recent research has discovered that the two are genetically identical.

39. It’s easy to tell the Rothschild’s Giraffe from other subspecies. Their coat looks a bit like the Masai Giraffe, but with sandy skin and less jagged, caramel-colored patches that give them a more yellowish coloring. They also have no markings on the lower leg, and are the only Giraffes born with five ossicones, with smaller bumps in the center of its forehead and behind each ear.

40.) Rothschild’s Giraffe rank among the most endangered subspecies of Giraffes, with approximately 1,399 individuals remaining in the wild. Nairobi’s Giraffe Centre, run by the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, is a great place to see these endangered beauties up close.

READ MORE: The Best Environmental Charities & Animal Charities to Donate To

Masai Giraffe in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

ARE S ENDANGERED?

41. In what’s being called a “silent extinction,” Giraffe population numbers dropped from 155,000 in 1985 to 97,000 in 2015, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Habitat destruction is the leading reason Giraffes are endangered. Rapid expansion of human development and the effects of war continue to fracture the various subspecies’ home lands.

42. Like most high-profile species of sub-saharan wildlife, Giraffes are also increasingly threatened by READ MORE: 15 Harmful Traditions & Cultural Practices Tourists Shouldn’t Support

Giraffe in Wild Rivers Nature Reserve in South Africa’s Greater Kruger Area

CONSERVATION

44. As recently as 2010, Giraffes were considered “Least Concern” in terms of conservation consideration by the IUCN. But by 2016 the entire species has been classified as Vulnerable, and may no longer exist in their historic habitat in Angola, Eritrea, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, and Senegal.

Fortunately, the UN-backed Convention of Migratory Species selected Giraffes for special protection in 2017. Today there are numerous sanctuaries and national parks all around the African continent that are striving to provide them with a safe haven.

Here’s a brief list of the major Giraffe conservation NGOs working to protect the beloved species for future generations:

• African Fund for Endangered Wildlife– The NGO behind Nairobi’s Giraffe Centre has a huge focus on educating kids from local communities about the importance of wildlife conservation. Their sanctuary is also a leading light in breeding endangered Rothschild’s Giraffes and releasing them into the wild.

• African Wildlife Foundation– The AWF works to educates local communities on sustainable agricultural practices in hopes of limiting human-animal conflict, as well as leading acacia planting projects in areas where Giraffe habitat has been deforested.

• Giraffe Conservation Alliance– This nonprofit organization works to connect people and zoos around the world to Giraffe conservation projects in Africa in hopes of ensuring a sustainable future for all Giraffe subspecies.

• The Giraffe Conservation Foundation– The GCF is the only NGO in the world that concentrates solely on the conservation and management of Giraffe in the wild throughout the African continent. They’re currently involved in conservation initiatives in 15 different countries.

• The Wildlife Conservation Society – The WCS monitors Giraffe populations to control habitat loss and poaching, as well as collaborating with other wildlife conservation groups on joint efforts.

READ MORE: Top 15 Female Wildlife Conservationists & Animal Rights Activists

Giraffe Rainbow in Nairobi National Park, Kenya

FACTS

45. Despite being herbivores, Giraffes oddly seem to enjoy chewing and sucking on bones (which is known as osteophag). They primarily pick on barren carcass remnants when their bodies are very low on nutrients. This supplies them with extra calcium and phosphorous in order to strengthen their bones, which is especially beneficial for males preparing for “necking” battles over mating rights.

46. Did you know that Giraffes are pollinators? They inadvertently collect pollen on their fur when rummaging through the trees. Much like bees

, they carry this pollen to other trees (especially acacias), allowing them to blossom. Other surprising pollinators include Bats, Rats, and even certain 50 Fascinating Facts About Giraffes appeared first on Green Global Travel.

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tyrantisterror · 7 years

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The Midgaheim Bestiary Monster List

Might as well repost my big old list of fantasy monsters again considering I added dozens of new ones to it over the past few days. Still incomplete!

The Midgaheim Bestiary

General Magical Creature Facts

Overview

Common Magical Biological Phenomena

Argus Syndrome – growing eyes where eyes shouldn’t be

Hydra Syndrome – growing extra heads

Briarse Syndrome – growing extra arms/legs/wings

Geryon Syndrome – having multiple bodies attached to the same waist

Homofalsum – non-human magical creatures that evolve to artificially resemble human beings

Lichrot – the tendency for sorcerors and conjurers to use magic to artificially extend their lives beyond the breaking point, resulting in their bodies decaying as they live and breathe

Fisher King Effect

Serpents Dragons

Overview of Dragons

Common Physiological Traits

The Helm of Terror – the part of the skull where the horns are rooted

Dragon Fangs & Venom

The Tail Spade

Evolution of the Dragon’s Wing

Terms that apply to all dragon clades:

Dragonets: young (i.e. everything from baby to adolescent) dragons

Knuckers: freshwater aquatic dragons

Guivres: saltwater aquatic dragons

Hydras: dragons with multiple heads (sufferers of hydra syndrome, a common magical genetic disorder)

Zmeys – three headed variant of Hydra syndrome, lacks enhanced healing

Lesser Drakes

Peludas

Tarasque Peludas

Greater Drakes

Flightless Greater Drakes – greater drakes whose wings are used for other purposes than flight, a missing link between lesser and greater drakes

Puk – a two foot long domesticated dragon from Germanor

Aitvaras – the fairy version of a Puk, the only dragon species known to exist in fairy land

Piasa – the only greater drake ever known to be found outside of Midgaheim and Meditera . Was driven to extinction by competition with Thunderbirds.

Lindorms

Colchian Lindorm

Wyrms

Vouivre: eyeless wyrms

Wyverns

Sting-tailed wyverns

Zilants (False Wyverns)

Amphipteres

Tatzelwyrms

Bergstutzen – mountain dwelling, stout species

Springewurm – leaping species

Stollwurm – burrowing species

Loongs (mentioned briefly)

Hoogahs

Ground Hoogahs

Kite Hoogahs

Basilisks

Creeping Basilisks (4 legs)

Gallopping Basilisks (6 legs)

Crawling Basilisks (2 legs)

Slithering Basiliks (legless)

Other Serpents

Amphisbaena – two headed serpents that can have anywhere between 0 and 6 legs. Amphisbaena have two torsos connected by one hip.

Gliding Serpents

Jaculus – a small, bipedal serpent that leaps out of trees. Its neck frill can resemble wings and allows it to glide for short distances.

Ichneumon (hydrus) – a serpent that preys upon larger serpents, burying itself in mud to attack its foe from beneath. Similar in appearance to the Jaculus.

Sciatale – a bipedal serpent with brilliantly colored, shining scales that can hypnotize prey. It is extremely warm.

Aspis – highly venomous winged serpent

Agathodaimon – a flying serpent that will reside in and protect human homes.

Horned Serpents

Cerastes – Horned Serpents form Midgaheim and Mediterra, have ram-like horns

Actual Snakes

Zaltys – a domesticated magical serpent that protects the home of those who keep it; innate healing magic

Cyoneides – massive snakes with hair-like bristles on their backs that eat elephants. Inhabit marshlands, rivers, and mountains. Can be mugwort green or blue. They are constrictors.

Elop – a large viper with incredibly potent venom

Dipsa – an incredibly small snake whose venom is so potent it can kill a human before they even feel the bite

Boyg – a serpent that oozes acidic slime, native to Germanor

Sjoorm – a snake that lives its juvenile life on land, but moves to the sea for its adulthood. It is massive.

Aiatar – a gigantic snake that raises its young native to Germanor

Other Reptiles & Amphibians Reptiles

Lizards

Grylio – a poisonous lizard that poisons fruit to ensnare prey

Turtles

Aspidochelone – also called “asp turtles.” Predatory turtles with serpentine necks and faces, aspidochelones pretend to be islands, lying dormant for days or even weeks with just their shells exposed. When amphibious creatures land on their backs, the aspidochelone dives down, drowning its prey so it can eat at its leisure. Aspidochelones are one of three unrelated sea monsters to use this “false island” hunting method.

Fastitocalon – also called “shield turtles.” A gentler breed of island turtle, fastitocalons are larger than aspidochelones and feed more on krill and schools of fish.

Pseudosuchians

Reptile Men (reptodites)

Waterhorses (long necked sea tyrants)

Common Waterhorse – native to Celpict

Columba’s Waterhorse – a Celpictish water horse

Morar Waterhorse – a Celpictish water horse

Muckross Waterhorse – a Celpictish water horse

Muc-sheilche – aka the Maree Waterhorse, native to Celpict

Seileag – a Celpictish Waterhorse

Eachy – A Waterhorse native to both Celpict and Francobreton

Lagarfljot – a Germanorean Waterhorse, many humps

Gytrash – a Waterhorse that is more adapted for land than sea, having webbed feet but able to walk fairly well. They have large, luminous saucer-shaped eyes.

Crocodilians

Orobon – a short snouted crocodilian, head is vaguely similar to a catfish

Afanc – a massive, vicious crocodile that can magically cause floods.

Amphibians

Paddoks – large, magical toads

Llamhigyn y Dwr – a large, flying, tail bearing toad from Celpict

Gliwic – a toad enchanted to resemble a chest of valuables (Mimic expies)

Salamandrals – aka Deas, Stellios. A large newt that can eat and live inside flames.

Fish Sharks and Rays

Murrisk – large shark that releases toxic venom into water to poison prey

Jenny Hannivers – stingray monsters

Placoderms

Beishtkione – a black headed fish found on the coast of Celpict

Acipenser – a fish whose armored scales are so spikey that they appear to open forward instead of backwards

Ray Finned Fish

Sturgeons

Pontarf – large freshwater fish that can eat children

Ceaoldfisc – vicious, horrific fish monsters descended from sturgeons. Born with a cruel intellect. (Aboleth expy)

Large Eels

Freshwater eels (Anguillidae)

Piast – another massive Celpict eel monster

Moray eels (Muraenida)

Skrimsl –massive eels living on the North-Western coast of Germanor

Ciriencroin – a massive, armored eel native to Celpict that preys upon lesser leviathans

Swamfisks (part of Lophiiformes, i.e. anglerfishes) – fish that attract prey by appearing to be decaying

Leviathans (descended from reedfish)

True Leviathans

Isaiah’s Leviathan – The largest breed of leviathan and second most aggressive; can be found much closer to shore than other greater leviathans, making it the most deadly species as far as humans are concerned

Jasconius – The second largest breed of leviathan, often swims in circles, and has sometimes been domesticated due to its unusually docile temperament

Job’s Leviathan – the third largest and most aggressive breed of leviathan

Jonah’s Leviathan – The fourth largest breed of leviathan; not particularly aggressive, but not as docile as Jasconius

Murexes – a purple leviathan that can eat boats, smallest of all the breeds of greater leviathan seen in Midgaheim

Dwarf Leviathans – leviathans bred to be smaller and manageable

Foreign True Leviathans (mention them briefly)

Lotan

Tanin

Rahab

Shell-back Leviathans

Lyngbakr – largest of the lesser leviathans. Is squat and heavily armored, with dorsal plates that vaguely resemble rocks. Lays still until others land on its back, then devours them.

Skeljungur – second largest of the lesser leviathans. Squat, fat, and even more heavily armored than the lyngbakr, with thick scales that rattle when it surfaces. Has short flippers and no dorsal fins.

Sea Boars

Taumafiskur – A black leviathan with white or pink stripes extending from its eyes to its mouth, and from its mouth outwards. The stripes give it the appearance of a bridle. They are particularly unfriendly to humans.

Trolual – A type of leviathan native to Germanor.

Orkus – A type of leviathan

Scolopendra – a whiskered leviathan (small for its clade) with multiple leg-like fins that vomits when caught

Ziphius – a leviathan whose four fins look almost like legs. It has large eyes, a beaked mouth, and fur-like quills on its neck.

Fiscields – amphibious sea boars (bullette/landshark expy)

Lobe Finned Fish

Lungfish (Dipnoi)

Yannig – a nocturnal sea monster that screeches like an owl to flush out prey. It travels between the surface of the ocean and the deep sea.

Human-imitating Fish (Tetrapodomorpha)

Hakenmanns – a massive fish with a human-like face; they are carnivores that feed on humans.

Bishop Fish/Sea Monks – fish with human-like faces and strange, conical frills on their heads that resembles pope hats

Invertebrates

Krakens

Graceful Krakens

Linaean Kraken – Another kraken with a low reproductive rate

Konung Kraken – large krakens with the lowest reproductive rate of the family, lures fish to its jaws by belching a sweet scent

Tennyson Kraken – a deep sea kraken that only rises to the surface to die

Montfort Kraken – an enormous kraken that preys almost exclusively on fishing ships

Celpict Krakens

Muirselche Kraken – A kraken with an enormous appetite and gut, most commonly found on the coast of Celpict.

Sughmaire Kraken – The only freshwater kraken, related to the Muirselche.

Amored Krakens

Pliny Kraken – a whale hunting breed of kraken

Hafgufa Kraken – enormous kraken that can swallow men, ships, and even some whales.

Pontoppidan Kraken – a kraken that hunts like the aspidochelone, lying dormant on the surface to resemble an island before ensnaring prey that land on its back. It also moves so fast that it creates deadly whirlpools

Wallenberg Kraken – A heavily armored but comparatively small species of kraken whose excrement attracts schools of fish, which the kraken ultimately feeds on

Swamp Krakens (Otyugh/Flumph expies)

Snaesagol – giant man eating snails (expy of the snails in some bestiaries as well as the flail snail)

Eterlobbes – massive spiders (Shelob expies)

Sindefleoge – metal eating insects (rust monster expies)

Molsinworms – large, man eating red worms (sandworm expies)

Buratche-ah-Ilgs – a shapeless blob creature covered in eyes which occasionally shoot fire, native to northern Germanor

Slimes – gelatinous blobs of acidic flesh

Birds Fowl (Galliformes)

Phoenixes (descended from peacocks)

Mediterran Phoenix

Francobreton Fenix

Ruslovak Fenix

Foreign Phoenixes (mention briefly)

Milcham

Egyptian Phoenix - Benmu

Asian Phoenixes – Feng Wangs and Ho-Os

Stymphalian Birds – carnivorous swans/geeze with toxic shit and barbs that shoot out of their wings

Gulls (Laridae)

Boobries – a huge seagull that eats sheep

Raptors

Rukhs (i.e. giant eagles)

Kaukasios Rukh: A massive eagle native to Mediterra

Midgaheim Rukh: Hraesvelg’s species

Cornu: a black rukh native to Celpict

Kreutzet: a ruhk from Ruslovak

Bariuchne: a Midgaheim ruhk that is closely related to the Ziz

Foreign Rukhs (mention briefly)

Sinbad’s Rukh

Ziz

Thunderbirds

Adarllwchgwins – massive, domesticated hawks made for riding

Habergeiss – a nocturnal owl with horns that shrieks when a person is about to die. Native to Germanor.

Perching Birds (Passeriformes)

Messenger Ravens – Incredibly intelligent corvids that are as big as wolves

Hyrcinian birds – a type of nocturnal songbird with bioluminescent feathers; native to Germanor

Mammals Ungulates

Behemoths (sub-clade to Perissodactyla)

True Behemoths

Job’s Behemoth (mention only)

Midgaheim Behemoth

Catoblepas: a behemoth native to Midgaheim noted for its weak neck muscles and impenetrable skin.

Beithir: a behemoth native to Francobreton that is covered in thick fur instead of thick skin

Odontotyrannus – a large, black behemoth with three cranial horns growing from its forehead. It is carnivorous and eats elephants.

Unicorns

Monoceros Unicorn: a missing link between unicorns and behemoths, the armored unicorn is a small behemoth with a prominent cranial horn used for goring its enemies.

True Unicorn: a creature that superficially resembles a horse, with long goat-like legs, a long, flowing lion-like tail, and a more deer-like face. Its main feature is its horn, which is made of a magical substance called alicorn.

Scythian unicorn: a gray, unimpressive unicorn native to Mediterra

Cartazonon: a yellow-red unicorn with a black horn and a long mane, incredibly aggressive.

Yale: a two horned creature related to the unicorn, whose two cranial horns are articulated by muscles. Has the dainty body of a Pure unicorn, but traces of the elephant-like armor of behemoths, and a boar-like mouth

Horses and donkeys

Sleipnirs – massive eight legged horses.

Diomedean Horses – carnivorous horses

Aneskelades – a giant donkey that can shrink to the size of a regular donkey

Swine

Cthonic Boars

Whales

Stokkull – a blind sperm whale whose face is covered in strange, fleshy flaps of skin

Raudkembingur – a sperm whale with a red “comb” of dorsal fins along its neck.

Nauthveli – a sperm whale with a cow’s bicolor pattern and a more serpentine tail (no fluke).

Swordfiskur – an orca-like porpoise whose dorsal fin is hard and sharp, allowing it to gore its prey (larger sea monsters, particularly baleen whales) from below

Hrosshvalur – a red-maned porpoise with a horse-like head and enormous eyes.

Mushveli – a dolphin with a ratlike face and a whiplike tail

Deer

White Hart – a magical stag

Sianach – a huge, aggressive, ugly deer native to Francbreton and Celpict

Achlis – an elk with an enormous upper lip and poorly articulated legs

Bovines

Busse – a cow with stag-like horns that can camouflage like a chameleon

Urus – a cow whose massive horns are serrated to saw down trees

Tarbhuisge – a massive, aquatic, ocean dwelling bull

Geryon Cattle – red & purple cows that were discovered by the Mediterran ogre Geryon

Ettincattle – two headed cows with four horns on each head, bred and tamed by ettins

Bonnacon – cows attuned to fire magic

Midgaheim Bonnacon – shits fires

Mediteran Bonnacon – breathes fire

Caprinae (Sheeps & Goats

Khrysomallos – flying, golden fleeced ram

Mustelids

Byreweosule – a magically attuned weasel bred to slay basilisks

Dorraghow – a monstrous otter from Celpict

Felines

Greymalkins – magical housecats that can appear to be in two places at once (displacer beast expies)

Cathanegs – i.e. magically attuned members of panthera

Irusan – a particularly massive cathaneg from Celpict

Murcat – a tusked cathaneg native to Celpict

Armored Lions – various thick skinned lions of Mediterra

Nemean Lion

Cithaeronian Lion

Gulon – essentially a magical bobcat, native to Germanor

Crocottas: massive hyenas

Canines

Calopus – a horned wolf with long, porcupine-like quills on its back

Barghests (Fenrisbrood, Hrodvitnirs) – magically attuned wolves

Orthrus – a massive two headed hound

Freybugs – magically attuned feral hounds

Aufhocker – another, larger breed of magically attuned feral hound

Seals

Katthveli – a massive whale-sized seal with a voracious appetite for flesh. Its flippers have hooks, its face has whiskers, and males have tusks in addition to sharp teeth.

Roshwalr – giant, vicious walruses native to the northern coasts of Germanor

Rodents

Rat Kings

Rabbits

Banaharas – human-sized killer rabbits, are intelligent enough to use tools/weapons (killer rabbit of caerbanog expy)

Apes

Nependis – an ape monster with a boar-like face

Hominds

Acephali (also called Blemyahs)– humanoids whose heads are directly connected to their chests (no neck)

Blue Men of Minch – hostile subterranean people native to Celpict

Circhos – an aquatic humanoid with three toed feet whose legs are different lengths.

Woodwoses – i.e. wildmen, basically a race of sasquatches

Paragons - magically attuned humans that subconsciously use magic

Sorcerors – magically attuned humans that can consciously use magic, i.e. natural spellcasters

Hags – humans that made pacts with demons for magic powers

Ogres

Crude Ogres

Hill Ogres

Mountain Ogres

Cloud Ogres

Ettin – three headed ogres

Jotun

Beautiful Ogres

Aesir – Germanorean variant

Titans – Mediterran variant

Monstrous Ogres

Centimanes (Hekatonkheires)

Greater Cyclopes

Argus

Lesser Cyclopes

Fair Folk/Forest Folk/Fairies/Nature Spirits Trolls

Swamp Trolls

River Trolls

Pond Trolls

Forest Trolls

House Trolls

Cave Trolls

Mountain Trolls

Sea Trolls

Bergfolk – small, bearded, particularly frog-ish trolls, and also some of the most intelligent.

Grendelkin

Goblinoids

Goblins

Coblyn – mining goblins with copper skin

Garthornes – another breed of subterranean mining goblin

Fachan – a goblin with one arm growing out of its chest, one leg growing out of the center of its hip, one eye, and a tuft of hair on its head. They wear cloaks of raven feathers.

Ironboots – powerful goblins who are immune to the fairy-killing powers of iron.

Samhanach – a strong breed of goblin closely tied to Samhain/Halloween

Powries – a very vicious breed of goblin, tend to be redcaps

Hobgoblins

Bauchans – a human friendly subspecies of hobgoblin

Frids – hobgoblins that dwell inside rocks and caverns.

Gwyll – a hobgoblin species that loves riding horses

Gremlins

Boggarts

Hobyah – a particularly vicious breed of child eating boggarts

Grindylows

Redcaps – not a species of goblin, but a goblin cult

Other Humanoid Fairies

Reptile Humanoid Fairies

Addercrops – snake people (i.e. snakes with humanoid arms and legs – not serpentaurs)

Bug Humanoid Fairies

Sylphs – butterfly people, air elementals

Pixies – Bee fairies

Snow bees

Pillywiggins – bumblebee fairies that are also bumblebee size

Piskies – Ant fairies

Sprites – Beetle faries

Spriggins – grasshopper men who can turn from tiny to massive

Willowisps – firefly fairies

Gardsvors – beautiful roach fairies from Germanor

Manawyddan – shoe cobbling spider fairies

Ettercaps – spider fairies

Bilwis – Germanorean mantis fairies with sickle-shaped toes

Fish Humanoid Fairies

Undines – fish people, sea elementals (Deep One/Kua Toth/Gill Men expies)

Ceasg – Celpictish fairy mermaids who can grant three wishes, but also eat people.

Gwragedd Annwnn – beautiful fish women fairies with golden hair. They protect lakes.

Berenfini – benevolent water spirits from Ruslovak

Mammal Humanoid Fairies

Kobolds – small dog people, live in mines

Buccas – a seafaring variety of kobold

Low Elves/Brownies – rodent people

Gnomes/dwarves – mole people, earth elementals

Coranians – a particularly strong and well informed group of gnomes

Courils – small gnomes with webbed feet

Riesengebirge – Germanorean gnomes who are wicked

Rubezahl – a Germanorean breed of gnome that dwells in mountains and misleads travelers. They can also cause storms.

Leprechauns

Dobbies – a lazy, gullible, and stupid breed of brownie

Grogen – golden haired, forest dwelling brownies

Derricks – a breed of brownie that are inclined to tricks and leading travelers astray

Fantine – a group of brownies from Germanor that look after cattle

Pechs – red haired brownies from Celpict with HUGE feet

Prigirstitis – a Ruslovakian brownie with enormous and sensitive ears

Fenodyree – an extremely strong breed of brownie that is hairier than usual and likes to work on farms

Fir Bholgs – a massive breed of brownies that fought the high elves for dominance and lost.

Fuath – a group of hairy rat men fairies that are particularly anti-human

Arkan Sonneys – hedgehog fairies (and a bit of pig as well) with long hairs

Leucrotans – hyena people fairies (Gnoll expies)

Baoban Sith – fairy women with deer’s hooves in place of feet who often transform into crows. They drink human blood.

Huldra – beautiful, tall, always female fairies whose backs appear to be hollow and who have long, ox-like tails

Urisks – goat-people fairies in Celpict, inexplicably live in the water

Gwillions – goat-hag fairies that live in mountains and eat people.

Selkies – seal fairies that can shed their skin to become humans

Roane – selkies that appear as seal-human mermaids

Bird Humanoid Fairies

Swan Maidens – fairies that must alternate between swan and human forms once every other year

Cyhraeths - harpy-like fairies

Plant Humanoid Fairies

Mandrakes – flower people

Moss Maidens – exactly what they sound like, native to Germanor

Fideal – grass/water weed women, eat people

Greenmen – planet people fairies

Herlewins – green-glowing tree-men with antler-like branches growing out of their skulls. They are renowned for their hunting. (The Beast expies)

Hamadryads – human above the waist, tree below, native to Mediterra

Radande – Midgaheim hamadryads

Baumesels – Germanorean tree fairies, basically gnarly ents

Nulesmurt – Ruslovakian tree men

Boruta – Female tree fairies from Ruslovak (Poland specifically). They inhabit fir trees.

Actual Human Fairies

High Elves/Alfar - faeries that are actually descended from humans

Liosalfar – light elves

Dockalfar – dark elves

Schrats – forest elves

Ouphe – dimwitted elves often used as changelings

Wee People – a diminutive variation of High Elves

Ellyllon – small versions of high elves native to Bretony

Feroers – another diminutive subspecies of high elf from Bretony. They are clean freaks.

Mannikins – yet another dimunitive subspecies of high elf

Wood Wives – female only fairy humans

Dryads – Mediterran forest elves

Nymphs – Mediterran freshwater elves

Nereids – Mediteran sea elves

Beive – beautiful, blue eyed, blond, large breasted fairies from Ruslovak (Lithuania). They protect women from abusive husbands.

Veela – another beautiful group of all female Ruslovakian elves

Keshalyi – Ruslovak fairies (Romanian specifically), benevolent

Rusalkis – a Ruslovakian breed of green haired fairy woman who live in water and eat men, though they sometimes fall in love with their prey.

Matiya – Ruslovakian fairies that have no male counterparts and must breed with human males to survive. Sadly, they also kill their lovers in the process of mating.

Wood Men – male only fairy humans

Fossegrim – Germanorean elves that are always male and pretty.

Cutty Dyer – fairy men with large, luminous eyes who drink the blood of travelers

Gancanagh – fairy men with jet black eyes who cast no shadows. They woo mortal women and then leave them forever to pine away as spinsters.

Dodore – one armed, one eyed, one legged human fairies with long red hair and talons.

Fad Felen – a repulsive human fairy with gold eyes, teeth, and hair.

Green Children – a specific, shitty variety of changeling with green skin.

Leshies – green haired, strangely pallid fairies of Ruslovak.

Ban Nidhechain – a little old woman spirit with red webbed feet, protruding teeth, and only one nostril. They spend their time washing clothes, and anyone they see will die shortly after. If they are captured before they see the person who grabs them, they must grant their captor three wishes.

Bestial Fairies

Aitvaras – a fairy dragon that disguises itself as a cat or rooster. It will try to make its owner rich via theft, and demands omelets for meals. They have four limbs but are bipedal, having a vaguely retrosaur-ish stance. (D&D Kobold expies)

Kelpies

Backahast – imitates a log to ensnare prey

Common Celpict Kelpie – the traditional kelpie

Ceffyldwr – a more proactive breed of kelpie

Eachuisge – a kelpie that inhabits lakes (most kelpies prefer running water like rivers) that is particularly intelligent and cruel, sometimes leaving parts of its human victims for other humans to find.

Shoopiltie – a small breed of kelpie that resembles a pony more than a horse

Tangies – a breed of kelpie with seaweed-like hair

Endrop – a breed of kelpie found in south-eastern Germanor and Ruslovak

Haikur – another kelpie species from Germanor

Neugle – a kelpie whose victims are consumed by magical blue fire when drowned

Cabyll-Ushtey – a kelpie that turns into a human instead of a horse.

Glashtin – another kelpie that turns into a human, albeit with horse ears.

Cheval bayard – a more mischevious/less man-eating variety of kelpie, can turn into both a horse and a human.

Giwoitis – a Ruslovak house spirit and fairy lizard.

Alp Luachra – a fairy newt that turns invisible upon being swallowed, and then parasitically devours all the food its host swallows.

Phookas – giant rabbit/cat hybrid fairies

Brags – evil phookas from Francobreton

Elwetritsch – a scaly, antlered chicken that was made by bizarre fairy sex rituals

Cait Sith – fairy cats

Cud Sith – fairy dogs. The standard variant has green fur and is as large as a bull.

Biasd Bheulach – a vicious fairy greyhound

Buggane – a large, shaggy dog fairy with luminous eyes

Cughtagh – a mountain dwelling breed of Buggane

Gillitrut – a white, shaggy dog fairy that chases after lost travelers

Cwn Annwn – white hounds with red ears that can turn invisible.

Padfoot – a white, shaggy fairy dog

Crodh Sidhe – aquatic fairy cows

Buckie – a goat fairy that tries to garrote horse riders

Undead-like Fairies

Dullahans

Banshees – appears as a gaunt woman with glowing red eyes in hollow sockets. They wear green or white dresses and gray cloaks, and their hair can be either white or red. May sometimes appear beautiful, but are generally haggard and old.

Bazaloshtsh – a Germanorean subspecies of Banshee. Basically the same as a banshee, but smaller.

Caoineag – a banshee species whose individual members each guard a specific family, warning them of danger.

Idises – a Germanorean subspecies of Banshee that appears on the battlefield. They are dressed in black.

Cauld Lad – a ghostly child who visits the deathly ill. They will touch the part of the ill person’s body that will be affected by the disease.

Dogai – a beautiful young fairy woman whose limbs bend backwards and head swivels unnaturally on its neck that brings disease. They have long earlobes and thin legs.

Galley-beggar – a skeletal fairy that carries a severed human head, loves to slide down hills and isn’t necessarily wicked

Monstrous Fairies

Bugbears

Oschaert – a breed of bugbear that can turn into a horse, dog, or rabbit, but always has blazing eyes.

Wirrycows

Bardha – mostly benevolent nature spirits that appear as formless white beings.

Brollachan – a small Celpictish spirit that appears as a formless void with eyes and a mouth.

Bugul Noz - a hideous but kindly fairy

Cearb – i.e. the Killing Ones, evil spirits that cause disease in people and cattle.

Nuckleavees

Fomorian Giants

Demogorgon – a monstrous fairy who takes its name from two equally monstrous beings

Locolico – a group of monstrous fairies in Ruslovak (Romany folklore), cruel tormentors of the keshalyi

The Locolico King

Melalo – a filthy gray and green bird with two heads and large vicious talons, first son of the king and Ana, causes mental illness and eats human hearts

Lilyi – a hagfish with an eerily woman-like face and nine long filaments on either side of her body, which inflict colds and flus opon mortals. Sister and wife of Melalo.

Tculo – a small ball covered in spines that causes stomach pain.

Tcaridyi – a worm covered in long, fragile hairs that cause fever

Silali – a white mouse with extra legs that causes fever and rigor (the sensation of being cold when you’re actually too warm)

Bitoso – a hideous worm with multiple heads and causing nausea

Lolmischo – a red mouse that causes skin diseases, rashes, blisters, and other blemishes

Minceskre – a tiny beetle with a hairy back and a vaginal mouth that causes STDs and diseases of the blood.

Poreskoro – a strange beast with a bird and human-like torso, four canine heads, four feline heads, and a snake for a tail. It creates plagues.

Nakk – a sea spirit that lures travelers into the sea and, moreso, into its enormous mouth

Nekans – Germanorean sea spirits that take the form of golden haired, green eyed men who demand human sacrifices.

Deofolskin – A many-eyed, scaly skinned floating head (Beholder expies)

Horerczy – A fairy that breathes out a cloud of blood sucking parasitic butterflies

Shellycoat – A vaguely dog-like beast with thick, matted, wet fur that is filled with clattering sea shells

Chimeras Bestial Chimeras

Griffins

Hippogriffs

Heliodromos (Vulture griffin)

Keythong (wingless griffin, kinda pointless)

Enfields - a fox/falcon hybrid, an attempt to build a more mangeable griffin

Beraules - owl/bear hybrids, an attempt to build a meaner griffin (owlbear expy)

Draconic Chimeras

Lou Carcolh – Dragon & Snaesagol Hybrid, enormous, resembles a snail-shelled dragon with tentacles over its mouth, drips with slime, has tinier dragon heads for eyestalks

Tarasque – a complicated chimera: hybrid of dragon, basilisk, turtle, and lion

Zburator – Dragon & Fenrisbrood hybrid

Alphyn – Dragon & Cathaneg hybrid

Naui – a dragon with the head and wings of an eagle; first created in Ruslovak

Draikainas – Dragon, Titan, & Serpentaur hybrid

The Hybrid Children of Echidna

Lernaen Hydra – most of genetic code comes from a Mediterran Lesser Drake species

Ladon – most of genetic code comes from a Mediterran Wyrm species

Chimaera – dragon, basilisk, lion, goat mix

Cerberus – half dragon, half hound; hydra syndrome results in three canine heads and multiple serpent heads

Cetus – half dragon, half kraken

Crommyonian Sow – half boar, half dragon

Gwibers - basilisk/phoenix hybrids, very colorful and beautiful

Cockatrices

Strutting Cockatrices (two legged)

Scuttling Cockatrices (six legged)

Skoffin (Draconic Cockatrices)

Codrile – a particularly unstable and massive cockatrice made of rooster, basilisk, crocodile, and dragon parts that goes through several metamorphoses. They have a gem-like plate on their forehead.

Amphisien – cockatrice with a head on the end of its tail, made by mixing an amphisbaena with a basilisk and a roosters

Kujgoroz – owl/snake hybrids designed to carry out orders. They will get irrational if they don’t get new orders fast enough. An attempt to build a better cockatrice.

Questing Beasts – hybrid of snake, leopard, and stag

Hippocampi

Mediteran Hippocampi

Biast Na Srognig – the horned hippocampus, has one unicorn-like horn

Havehest – a hippocampus whose body is entirely fish and whose head is mostly horse

Perytons – flying stags

Leucrottas – hybrid of crocotta, cathaneg, and unicorn, with monstrously large jaws that none of its component parts have. Has the legs and tail of a unicorn, neck of a lion, and the rest is a monstrous caricature of a crocotta.

Pegasi – flying horses.

Serras – a monster with the body of a fish, the head of a lion, and the wings of a bat.

Parandus – a hybrid of bear & ibex

Wolpertinger – a rabbit with fangs, antlers, and wings

Ant-lions – one of the most notorious failed chimeras in history, doomed to die because its digestive system cannot handle the food it hungers for.

Allocamelus – a camel with a donkey’s head.

Cameleopard – A hybrid of camel and leopard, has horns for some reason.

Calygreyhound – a mix of eagle, bull, and antelope. Front legs and skull of an eagle, body and horns of an antelope, and hind legs of a bull.

Celphie – a cow with five legs, which are cow legs at the start and human arms at the end. It’s made purely as an oddity.

Centycore – a lion bodied, horse limbed, bear headed hybrid with an enormous mouth and ears that speaks in a human voice.

Dard – a creature with the body of a lizard, the neck of a horse, and the head of a cat

Falconfish – exactly what it sounds like

Human Hybrids

Mermaids

Merrows

Moruaches

Nix – Germanorean freshwater mermaids

Suires

Benvarreys – golden haired mermaids who generally kill fishermen, though some are helpful

Marimorgens – exceedingly civilized mermaids, have palaces

Scylla

Charybdis

Arepyiai

Sirens

Harpies

Erinyes

Centaurs

Hippocentuar – part man, part horse, part fish

Ipopodes – a centaur that functions like a satyr – i.e. only has a horse’s hindlegs, not the forelegs.

Onocentaur – part man, part donkey

Minotaurs

Bucentaurs – like centaurs, but with bulls in place of horses.

Spartoi – children of the dragon’s teeth, these unique chimeras are almost entirely human and are produced by a spell involving the teeth of a slain dragon

Serpentaurs

Melusines – humannoids that are human (with some snake features) above the waist, and snake below

Draconcopedes – like normal serpentaurs, except they lack arms

Gorgons

Arachnes

Cacus – three human heads, breaths fire

Myrmidons

Bicorns

Mediteran Sphinxes

Manticores

Fauns

Satyrs

Nains – Francobreton satyrs with clawed hands and carnivorous appetites

Gaborchends – goat headed men

Cynocephali – dog headed men

Donestres – lion-headed men

Undead Ghosts

Poltergeists – haunt specific corporeal ghosts

Specters – haunt-specific corporeal ghosts

Wraiths – free roaming incorporeal ghosts

Phantoms – free roaming corporeal ghosts

Artificial Ghosts – i.e. ghosts conjured by sorcerers rather than by their own will

Skelemen – moving skeletons

Mordobearns – phantom murderers with the minds/souls of tortured children (Jason Voorhees expy)

Living Elements – souls bound to an elemental spell, manifesting as living forces of the four elements: fire, water, wind, or earth. (Modern elemental expies)

Reanimated Dead

Vampires

Moroi

Strigoi

Ghouls/Draugr

Revenants

Vrykolakas

Stryzga

Bezkost – a truly repulsive vampire, manifesting as a boneless sack of skin that drains blood like a mosquito

Varcolacs

Theriathropes

Werewolves

Conscious

Wulver – a mostly humanoid werewolf that helps the poor

Faoladh – a werewolf that protects children

Unconscious

Chapalu

Berserkers

Artificially Created Life

Hommunculi

Mudmen – traditional homunculi

Strawmen – i.e. living scarecrows

Claymen – i.e. stone-punk robots

Fleshmen – i.e. frankensteins

Automatons

#Cecilverse

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