Kapo

Basic Information

Anatomie

General features

Kapos are quadrupedal herbivores and have a similar build to deer, though they are more muscular. They vary in size from 1,60 m-2,2 m as adults with their heads raised. The head is adorned with horns that grow their whole life and can grow to be as long as a grown man's forearm. Therefore it's not unusual to see adults with horns that curve, so as to not be in the way or broken of horns due to fights. Lower on the head than the horns are the ears, which appear disproportionally big compared to the rest of the head. On an adult animal they are roughly half the size of the horns.

fur pattern

The fur of the young kapos starts at a very dark brown that lightens as they age. Within two years they are matured and have a light brown coat of fur with darker markings around the horns and legs.

Genetik und Vermehrung

Mating Season

The mating season of wild Kapos starts in Fall and can last until the end of Winter even though this is uncommon in wild-living individual. The winter coat of the malee Kapos is of a darker color then the females during this time similar to nuptial plumage in birds.

Gestation Period

The Gestation period usually lasts around 8 months, in this time the male cares for his mate and ensures her safety, defending her from predators or other males.

Parental behaviour

Both parents take care of the two to three young that are usually born at a time, both defending them from any potential predators while the young are to weak to run away. They usually learn to walk within the first few hours. But even after this dangerous period of time where the young are helpless, the male and female stay together to ensure the safety of their offspring, most for the whole year until the next mating period starts. Due to this fact most pairings stay together as mates for a long time, though the species isn't strictly monogamous.

Wachstumsrate & -stadien

After the Birth

The Young can't walk for the first few hours after birth, making them very vulnerable to predators that their parents have to defend them from. From a litter of three usually one survives to it's first year in the wild. The fur of the babies is dark brown to almost black, to blend easier into the tall grassland they originate from. The horns are usually only 2 cm-3 cm long during this time.

First Year

After a young Kapo reaches the one year mark, it's far more likely that they'll survive. At this point the reach heights of 1 m-1,30 m, while their horns steadily grew as well. Therefore it's much easier for them to defend themselves against predators and other rivaling species. It's at this point that the litter leaves their parents protection and searches for their own area to live in. During the first year the fur of the young Kapos lightens as well, reaching the light-brown of the adults with the darker markings at the horns and legs.

Second year

In their Second year alive, Kapos reach their full height of 1,60 m-2 m with their horns steadily growing as well. At the end of their second year the Kapos reach sexual maturity.

Adult Life

After reaching sexual maturity the Kapos are fully grown and start getting young of their own. It is not unusual for a female to go back to an area closer to her parents when she expects her first litter, probably seeking the guidance and reassurance. This behavior however lessens as they grow older. Kapos have a general life expectancy of 35-40 years when domesticated, the expectancy in the wild is slightly lower at 30 years.

Ökologie und Lebensräume

The natural habitat are the grassland regions in the organization and organization . The grass there reaches heights of 50 cm or above, creating an ideal environment for the young to hide in when they are still to weak to defend themselves. The climate there ranges between -10 °C and 40 °C, creating the need for a winter- and a summer-coat to ensure that the Kapos don't freeze to death.

Ernährung und Gewohnheiten

Kapos are strict herbivores, in their natural habitat they feed on the tall grass across the flatland or the bushes and low hanging trees in the area as well as berries. In the winter when most of the green is buried underneath snow or dead they also eat the bark of trees.

Biologischer Zyklus

Change of Coat

• Summer coat

: a lighter coat of brown fur, darker at the horns and the legs

• Winter coat

: a more dense coat to protect against the cold, no difference in color to the summer coat for females, the coat of males often appears darker especially around the face and the legs because of the mating season.

Mating Season

The mating season of wild-living Kapos starts in the fall and can last until the end of winter. The winter coat of the males changes changes slightly in color during this season.

Additional Information

Soziale Strukturen

Kapos have no big social structure since they mostly live in their families of a male, a female and their litter of that year. Sometimes larger groups can be formed due to shrinking habitat, in these groups it seems that the oldest individuals take charge for the time the group is together. In captivity this that behavior is the norm, the oldest couple takes charge and the others follow easily.

Domestizierung

Kapos are used as a means of transportation and sometimes even as farm animal to handle the heavier tools. They are important as a transportation animal due to their muscular build, enabling them to carry heavier people or a huge amount of luggage and wares.
Domesticated Kapos still change their fur when the weather gets colder but due to the comfortable living in safe pastures or stables they shed their fur earlier than their wild siblings. Throughout the domestication process the appearance of the horns changed as well, they are usually a little shorter and lighter in color compared to the free-living individuals. Kapos are held in large groups which influenced some of their behavior compared to the wild Kapos. For one even though wild-living Kapos aren't monogamous their domesticated counterparts are to a large part. They form couples that can stay together from a few years to decades even when other options are available. Furthermore due to being held in large groups, a leading couple is determined most often the oldest couple in the group though sometimes a stronger, younger couple takes charge instead. This determination process seems to be carried out without any fighting between the different couples. Additionally the young of the different couples are raised by all the adults.

Verwendung, Produkte & Verwertung

Kapos are mainly used as transportation animals for both people and wares, usually heavier than the average horse due to their sturdy build. Sometimes they are used to help on farms as well.
Rarely Kapos are bred with the intent of using their meat, though it is a custom in certain regions. The horns of the Kapos are used in some alchemical extracts, though they are officially only to be taken from dead animals on farms. Because of it's uses in magic and medicine alike, Poachers started hunting the wild-living groups or steal from the farms. This resulted in the countries with wild-living herds of Kapos to issue laws regarding the limits, they are only to be hunted by official rangers and only a certain amount of individuals a year. Poachers are punsihed if they are caught killing a Kapo.

Geographische Herkunft und Verbreitung

In the wild they can mostly be found in the tall grassland of @organization and @organization. The domesticated kind can be found in almost all countries due to their tolerance regarding different temperatures.

Wahrnehmung und sensorische Fähigkeiten

Like most herbivores, Kapos have a heightened sense of smell and hearing compared to Humans. Kapos can only see in black and white, due to their bad eyesight.

Wissenschaftlicher Name

Ruminantia Kapoi

Lebenserwartung

30 years

Erhaltungsstatus

Wild-living Kapos are protected against poachers, and are only allowed to be hunted by certain people with a limit of how many specimens they are allowed to kill each year. The domesticated Kapo isn't endangered.

Durchschnittliche Größe

1,6-2,2 meters

Durchschnittliches Gewicht

600-700 kg