Golanei

Forest Golanei - digital photo manipulation by Sebastian Romu

About

Great fearsome beasts of the Entorian wilds. The short haired, broad shouldered golanei are very capable hunters and trackers. Generally attacking from ambush, these beasts are capable of extreme patience, and have be known to track a quarry for weeks before making a move.

Common Names

Göl (Kythus) / Golanei (Waejir)

Description

Classification

Mammal

Size

200-300 kilograms (450-700 pounds), 2-3 metres (6 feet 6 inches - 10 feet) standing on hind legs. Half as tall at shoulder when on all fours.

Appearance

Massive, muscular, broad shouldered thick short neck, blunt face, with a wide mouth, and rounded ears. Wide long clawed padded feet, and short tails. Short haired fur in most species.

Sexual dimorphism

Males tend to be about 50% larger than females.

Variance

Notable differences between sub-species.

Ecology

Habitat

Varies with sub-species.

Diet

Primarily carnivores eating a variety of small and large prey animals, fish, and birds.

Behaviour

Social grouping

With the exception of one subspecies these predators tend to be solitary and quiet territorial, claiming a hunting ground many leagues across. Adult males will compete for territory, which overlap the ranges of several females.

Temperament

Aggressive.

Intelligence

Cunning animal.

Reproduction

Females will mate every 2-3 years in the autumn, and typically produce a pair of young during their winter hibernation.

Notable Sub-Species

Forest Golanei

Brown and grey dappled fur allows these beasts an impressive level of camouflage in their preferred environment.

Mountain Golanei

With fur ranging from black to auburn, the mountain golanei tend to alpine forests and meadows.

Northern

The largest of the golanei species, the northern golanei are renowned for being the most vicious, and capable hunters in the cold tundra wastes they call home.

A mottled fur ranging from white to silvery grey in colour aids them in blending into the snowy terrain during the cold seasons.

They tend to be more nomadic in their behaviour, following the herds of prey they require to sustain themselves through the long winters.

Pack Golanei

Averaging about half the size, but no less territorial than their solo cousins, this species of golanei form family prides numbering 4-24 members.

They tend to claim larger swathes of territory supported by their greater numbers, and a strict pack hierarchy within the group.

Plains Golanei

Brown to tawny fur graces these giants. The males also sport manes of much longer hair about their neck and shoulders, usually in a darker hue than their main colouration

Domestication

General

Occasional captured cubs can be trained for animal spectacles or pit fighting.

Resources

Hides, Meat.

Stories

Cave (fifty word fantasy)

Strength (fifty word fantasy)

See Also

Alësva Kwäŧygölnu

Pëpahawa