Oelot

The Favored Livestock of Saleh'Alire

I've seen all the difficulties cattle farmers and sheep farmers go through with their herds, and I've never had any of those issues with my Oelots... I never had anything other than an Oelot, and I sure as Tarsellis I don't want anything other than an Oelot. They just aren't worth the trouble.
— Garobel e'Cearunia, Homesteader

Originating in, and well adapted, to harsh dry climates where food and water can be incredibly scarce even during peak seasons (such as Rasha-Ui and the Chisisi Desert), Oelots quickly became a favored choice for domesticated livestock among the people of their native regions. Their strong bodies, high quality meat and pelts, docile natures, and easy herding nature further facilitated their domestication and trade once encountered... Now they remain the most recognized, sought after, and commonly cared for livestock the world of Saleh'Alire over- being found in Castrillis, Martova, Olienn, Rusatar, and Tolara equally.

Anatomy & Appearance

Long necked compared to other Ungulates, and Oelot's head is small and wedge shaped with a flat forehead. Two tightly spiraled horns extend from just above long ears on either side of the head. These horns grow flush with the slope of the forehead, and extend back towards the body to form a V shape. Their horns consist of a hollow core and an exterior shell made of keratin. Unlike other species who shed their horns each season, however, an Oelot grows its horns gradually over the course of its entire lifetime- making it easy to gauge an Oelot's age based on horn length alone. Overall they are tall and leggy, with muscular hind and front quarters that are built for strength and speed; each of their four legs end in cloven hooves, much like other members of their species. Likewise, they have short tails (less than 6 inches in length)- though an Oelot's tail differs in that they carry large deposits of fat around their base. For the most part an Oelot's fur is short and coarse- particularly from behind the shoulders and through to the hind quarters. All Oelots regardless of sex, however, have large manes in the neck area. The length and shape of the mane can vary per individual, but is usually longest around the chest and chin- giving it a slightly bearded appearance. In addition to this mane, they have a crest of hair that extends between the shoulder blades down the center of the back- culminating in another long mane on the tail.

Coloration & Markings

The average domesticated Oelot's fur is usually dual or tri colored- with the mane, stripes, and body frequently being different from one another. Body colors of domesticated Oelots frequently range from a soft rust on the lightest end of the spectrum, to a deep chocolate or chestnut on the darkest end. In areas where wild Oelots frequently have less foliage coverage, however, faun and tawny coats have also been observed. Grey, black, and white body coloration isn't unheard of either, but tends to be incredibly rare among both wild and domestic populations. In addition to the dark color of their body coats, most Oelots have between 4 and 15 vertical stripes on their sides and hind quarters. These stripes are often either black or white, or some variation of faun, and are believed to help camouflage the Oelot from predators. Likewise, facial features include rings around the eyes, and markings on their chin, snout, and on the legs just above the hooves- all in colors that frequently coordinate with their stripes. In contrast to the rest of their fur, the hair of their manes is soft and crimped crimped- similar to a sheep's wool, but considerably more relaxed. Mane colors lean further towards the lighter side of the spectrum- ranging from white to a tawny or faun, though the rare Oelot may have a light rust colored mane; since the hairs in Oelots manes are comparable to sheep's wool and are therefore often sheered to provide fibers for clothing, light colored manes are the result of centuries of domestication- being selectively bred for the ease it provides in dying the sheared fibers.

Status
Domesticated Classification
Even-Toed Ungulate Related to

Sheep
Goats
Cattle
Camels
Deer
Antelope

Average Lifespan
20 to 25 years
Average Height
4 to 6 ft
122 to 183 cm Average Length
7 to 9 ft
213 to 275 cm Average Weight
880 to 2,200 lb
400 to 1,000 kg

Common Mane Colors