Calinan Cassowary
The continent of Calina is home to flocks of large cassowaries who can be found spread around Northern Calina, from the floodplains of the Galan River near Solathi to the jungles and wetlands near Maganti, and far beyond. While most cassowaries exist in the wild, some have been tamed by the larger states in Calina and serve a variety of purposes.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The cassowaries of Annyrion are considerably larger than those found in our world, standing about the same height as a human. They are also quite a bit more muscular. Their plumage ranges in colour from solid black to brilliant blue, with occasional tinges of green and yellow. They possess a hard, solid ridge of bone atop their skulls, and their two legs end in extremely sharp claws.
Ecology and Habitats
Cassowaries are usually found in the subtropical environments found throughout Calina. They usually roam throughout jungles, but also can be found in the wetlands and floodplains of northern Calina, and some have even been seen out on the grasslands of the continent.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Cassowaries primarily survive on the fruits that can be found in the jungles they frequent.
Additional Information
Uses, Products & Exploitation
For most of human settlement on Calina, cassowaries have generally been left to their own devices, as their fearsome claws and bone ridges make them dangerous food sources at best. However in recent centuries humans in Calina have begun carrying out the domestication of cassowaries as beasts of burden/mounts. In Solathi, the Solathine Guard have been able to forge such a bond with the cassowaries that they ride them as cavalry, their considerable running speed, mobility and natural weapons making them a useful alternative to chariotry.
In the earlier stage of their domestication, the eggs of cassowaries were considered a delicacy, however in recent years the theft of such eggs has been outlawed in Solathi as it is considered a betrayal of trust between Solathines and their mounts.
Lifespan
70 years
Conservation Status
In the city-states of Solathi and Maganti, cassowaries are considered an important resource. Killing a cassowary needlessly can carry severe penalties in the areas controlled by those city-states.
Average Height
1.4 - 1.9m
Average Weight
100 - 150 kgs
Geographic Distribution
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