Possibly Space Dragons

A creature of myths that may have been real all along.

     "Hey- is that a comet?" The young girl asked, pointing at an orange blur streaming across the sky.
     Her father froze, staring at the glow. "We need to-"
     The comet seemed to change course, getting larger by the second as the man grabbed his daughter and ran for their lives.
     *BOOM*
     The ground shook as the beast uncurled itself, glistening copper scales dulled by the dust, glowing gill-like vents all over its body, and large, scaly wings unfurling to shade the entire area.
     The dragon shook it's reptilian head as the dust settled, and the vents shrunk back into it's scaly hide. It's eyes, the same bright teal as the vents had been, scoured the ground as if it was searching for something, then spread it's wings and launched itself into the sky towards the nearby mountains, leaving the two to ponder what they just saw.
     "Wh... Was that a dragon?!" The girl gasped, looking wide-eyed at her father. She stood up and waved at the flapping speck in the distance and then bounced up and down. "That was so cool!"
     Her father stood and rested a hand on her shoulder and watched the dragon fly away, wondering what had just happened.
"I guess it was pretty cool... Let's head inside."

-A supposed sighting of a dragon, which was recorded a few years ago in a notebook
     Dragons are known as myth, but there are a few sightings and even a few blurry photos taken of the supposedly majestic beasts. A few scientists (Dubbed the Draconic Discoverers) have been doing research for years on these elusive beasts, and they were successful to the point where dragons have been officially referred to as a 'Paradox Species' and are included in the official Kathririan Bestiary.
     Almost all sightings describe a long, snaky body with four legs and massive wings, plus incredibly thick-looking scales covering strange vents that go down their neck and body. Some think that these dragons can use their thick scales to somehow endure the magic-ridden and hostile environment of space that no technology has survived yet, and that the vents serve as a way to regulate temperature as well as propel the dragon forwards.
     The most supported answer to the question of how the dragons come from space its that they can enter a dormant state where they can survive without much breathing, coming awake every now and then to readjust their course, then blasting towards a planet. How some of them manage to survive the impact and entering the differing atmospheres is currently unknown, though it is thought that their blood can adapt to different percentages of Oxygen in the air of the planets they land on so they can breathe

DIET

     Dragons seem to be omnivores, eating anything from random apples on the ground to full-on ham cuts from a deli in one big bite. Some sightings tell of dragons even taking large bites out of trees after they land, leaving the wood alone but ripping a good half of the tree's leaves off. From the descriptions given by witnesses, they seem to enjoy fall leaves the most because of the crunch as evidenced by them tearing off almost all the leaves of autumn trees whenever they can.
     Their hunting habits seem to be stalking prey from above and diving down to grab their snack, and they have been seen roasting their food with fire breath before eating. This behavior has prompted the innocent question whether dragons would like barbecue.

Natural Habitat

     Most dragons head towards the nearest high place after they land, though in the winter months a dragon landing could result in the dragon covering itself up inside the crater with only its nose aboveground as a way of hibernation, similar to the guessed dormant state they supposedly experience during space flight.
     Most evidence suggest dragons favor heavily wooded areas by mountains, whether for the natural wildlife food factor or possibly being very close to the dragon equivalent of maple popcorn is currently under investigation.

Behavior

     They appear to be semi-aggressive, as most sightings talk about how the dragons either left immediately or attacked their surroundings in the case of crowded spaces. This behavior may be in defense.
     Their intelligence level is unknown, though the Scientists have estimated that it could be tested by finding a dragon egg and raising it in captivity. So far, most of their attempts to locate a baby dragon have been unsuccessful except for one. A large egg had been found a year or so after dragons were officially recognized as a species, and has been carefully incubated for a few months. If it is a dragon, hatching and then being raised under surveillance could give many insights into the behavior of the species.

Scientific Name

Adephagos Acicollis

Average Height

4.7 m at the shoulder

Average Weight

Est. ~5400 kg

Average Length

9.2 m head to tail-tip