The Great Mimic Debate
Username: Yuiven
Animal name: African Elephant
Description (written and/or picture):
Why would this animal make an awesome mimic? Mammoth size, unique traits, enduring memory, capable of displaying an emotive capacity unbeknownst to most creatures in the animal kingdom, it is these qualities which I deem make the African Elephant an awesome mimic.
Notwithstanding the obvious size difference between African Elephants (9-13 ft at the shoulder) and Samanayrs (no more than 2 ft), the African Elephant has naturally evolved exotic yet iconic traits that could prove beneficial to a Samanayr. Probably one of the, if not the most, interesting morphological features is its trunk. It is a highly sensitive organ which can detect a countless variety of scents;
not a drinking straw as commonly depicted in cartoons! The trunk is also extremely flexible. There are two "fingers" on the tip of its trunk, used to grab objects. Hence serving the function, for all intents and purposes, of a hand- something that could make life for a Samanayr much easier if he or she has the ability to effortlessly pick up objects, more than ever on an Expedition! What's more, a trunk can scratch an itch in a hard-to-reach spot that a Samanayr normally wouldn’t be able to do otherwise. For these reasons, the trunk is the African Elephant's most important and versatile appendage.
A second remarkable trait of the African Elephant are the soft, large ears- a cartilaginous sheet that is covered in paper-thin skin -that serve a few important functions. Foremost is hearing, of course. They have a rather acute sense of hearing, and in fact have extended their audible range to hear across far distances. So, a Samanayr could hear a hunting Oquiesa coming before the canine predator would even see their intended prey, or hear a fellow Samanayr calling him/her. The ears are also used to regulate body temperature which is surprisingly difficult due to the African Elephant's ample mass with heat being released slowly. Hot blood in the arteries is cooled via the constant flapping. Thus, the body temperature is regulated with the cooled blood returning to the rest of the body. A Samanayr mimic of this animal would be able to stay cool on a hot day with these built-in fans!
Last of these traits are the ivory tusks. Tusks are a recently-introduced trait in the world of Samanayrs, so the timing couldn't be any more perfect! Both male and female African Elephants are endowed with a pair of the long, curving teeth. They are used for digging, ripping of bark, foraging, resting a heavy trunk, and as weapons. Very effective for acquiring food as well as defending oneself from an enraged Sa'krien.
The African Elephants are famous for their trumpet calls. They also make rumbling growls when greeting each other. The growl becomes a bellow when the mouth is open and a bellow becomes a moan when prolonged. This can escalate with a roar when threatening another elephant or another animal. In addition to the notes, trills, chirps, whinnies, and so forth a Samanayr uses to communicate, the number of sounds the African Elephant produces could expand their musical language.
Another attribute Samanayrs and African Elephants share is a strong sense of family. Like Samanayrs, African Elephants live in a structured social order. The females spend their entire lives in tightly-knit herd made up of mothers, daughters, sisters, and aunts. These herds are led by the eldest female, or
matriarch.
Standing next to the colossal body of the African Elephant, a creature that could pop your head off entirely by accident yet just as easily pick you a flower as it is looming over you, is a magnificent sight to behold! They are also famed for their intelligence and memory (there is factual evidence backing up the old phrase, "An Elephant Never Forgets"). And African Elephants express their feelings in a big way, whether grieving for a lost life of one of their own, showing joy, or giving in to violent rages against anything. Even though Samanayrs are unlike African Elephants in many ways, the two species share more in common than one would originally think, so that's why I believe a mimic of this animal would be awesome, not to mention quite appropriate!
He's quite interested in them!
Congrats to RikkuGirl, who won a semi-custom pet token!
