Olive Hydra

Basic Information

Anatomy

The olive hydra is the biggest non dragon reptile in the world, as it can reach lengths of 13 meters. It's got a legless, muscular, snake-like body that makes it slow on land but really fast in the water. Its colour is olive green, which is where it gets its name from. It has multiple heads, between 6 and 9, at the ends of long, flexible necks.
This creature has the ability to regrow any body part if it gets cut off, in only a few minutes. This allows the hydra to heal very severe injuries that would kill any other creature. It is a costly ability however, as it burns all of the hydra's fat reserves, forcing it to hunt for food. 
The olive hydra is also extremely venomous. Its mouths have special glands that produce the most potent venom in this world. They say it's so deadly that a person can die just by breathing its fumes.

Genetics and Reproduction

The female olive hydra is larger, and will often hunt and eat the male. For that reason males will avoid females, unless they smell their pheromones that indicate they are ready to mate. When that happens, multiple males will coil around a single female, forming a "mating ball". The female will mate with all of them over a course of 1-3 days.

Growth Rate & Stages

Hatchlings of the species are about the size of a ball python and are yellow in colour, but are otherwise identical to the adults. They leave the nest immediately after hatching, and learn to survive on their own. For the next 17 years they grow, hunting progressively bigger prey, and their colour changes from yellow, to lime, to olive green. Olive hydras keep growing after that phase, and throughout their whole lives, but in a much slower rate.

Ecology and Habitats

The olive hydra lives in swamps and wetlands. It prefers wet, shady environments and tropical or subtropical climates.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Due to its low metabolism, the olive hydra needs little food for its size. It usually spends many days, sometimes even months between good meals. Its favourite prey are crocodiles and large fish, but will also feed on large mammals that get too close to the water.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Hydra venom is the deadliest biological substance on Xayti. As such, it is highly prized by the intelligent species of the planet.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

This animal only lives in a small group of islands in the Simirian archipelago. In the past, this species could be found in a much wider area. In many more Simirian islands, and most of the Southern Continent. But hunting and climate change has reduced their range over the years to what it is today.

Average Intelligence

Despite its many heads, the olive hydra is not very intelligent. It reacts instinctively to its environment, similar to most earth reptiles.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The olive hydra has poor hearing and average, movement based sight. It's can't see most colours but can detect infra red and ultra violet light. Its most heightened senses are smell and taste. It also has the ability to detect vibrations on the ground and in the water.

Genetic Descendants

• Savannah Hydra

Average Length

13m

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Olive green, sometimes with dark patterns for camouflage.