Greattapir ("Great" Ta-PEER)

Tapirs are common across the continent, especially so in latitudes above the Mismaur divide. But in the densely forested valleys of the Greenbelt is a peculiar variety called greattapir which is known for its large size, modest intelligence, and telepathic abilities. Other names include tapirdondo, Corotofa, and Tenbrusche (a Cantran word also applied to describe a temperamental chid).

Intelligence and Telepathy

Greattapirs exhibit outstanding memory and intelligence at a level comparable to human children. They can recognize and categorize individuals from their own as well as other animal species. Scent plays a key role in their cognition and identification. They exhibit complex emotional states and have been observed to engage in behaviors of playing, mourning, bartering, plotting, and even debating. They are generally foul tempered and quick to violence, especially when they feel threatened. They will not hesitate to call for aid, summoning possibly an entire pack to defend them.
The greattapir has innate telepathic abilities which begin to develop a week after birth and continue to grow all throughout life. Around the age of four, they have the ability to call out to others of their kind; it is then that they are "accepted" as adults by others. The range, length, and duration of telepathy continue to grow, plateauing around the age of 10. Tapirs past the age of 50 are capable of reaching out to greattapirs far beyond them and will do so to signal great danger. They can even reach out to other creatures as well though the link is transient and prone to disruption, somewhat like speaking from the other side of a closed door. Because of its telepathic abilities, greattapirs rarely vocalize.

Domestication

Tapirs had long been hunted by the Gauthran peoples though Greattapirs remained undiscovered except by the Gommott who, due to their small stature, were playfully bullied by the creatures.
In the 560s, explorers venturing deep into the greenbelt discovered the greattapirs and captured several of them as pets. Witnessing their high intelligence, they began a domestication process that was first deemed successful in 663.
With their intelligence and strength, they are capable of a variety of tasks. They serve as excellent mounts for up to three people and though they cannot maintain anything over a trot for long distances, their memory ensures the rider will never be lost. greattapirs have also been bred as warmounts. Soldiers charge into combat, thier intelligent "war tapir" mounts repositioning and sensing the presence of nearby allies as to prevent their rider from being flanked.

Working as a Team

Greattapirs are invaluable as work animals. 670 onward saw the replacement of oxen and donkeys all across the Mindreland with these sturdy beasts. They have been domesticated into groups called tapir packs which work similarly to a team of humans. A leader tapir recognizes commands of the driver and relays them to the rest of the team. A pack of 5 animals can perform complex tasks like plowing and irrigating fields, scattering seeds, hauling lumber and iron, and cleaning litter and debris. A team of 20 greattapirs served as a firefighting service for the town of Begaus, sniffing out smoke and flames and then ferrying water from the river to the site of fire with their strong snouts. And in Thegrory, an elaborate laundry operation is entirely maintained by several packs of greattapirs overseen by a handful of humans.

Dangers

The intelligence of a greattapir also makes it a threat, particularly when abused or mishandled. Tapir packs have been known to strike against their owners and, if refused reparations, even plot against them. An incident in Luizates in 897 saw all of the towns tapir packs rise up and storm out into the woods, leaving a wake of fires from toppled braziers.
With their bad temperment, poorly regarded greattapirs will lash out at their owners. The teeth are especially dangerous and can cut through bone.

General Physiology

Firstborn greattapirs are nearly indistinguishable from normal tapirs but within 4-6 weeks they will be significantly larger: almost the size of an adult tapir. At full size, a greattapir is about three times the size of a normal one. Their diet scales accordingly and the creatures can devour a family's worth of several days of food in one sitting. However, they can go several days without food or water before showing any negative symptoms. Their intelligence allows them to forage efficiently in the wild, forming groups that cover wide swaths of forest and jungle.
Greattapirs typically live for up to 60 years though after the age of twenty, females became unable to produce offspring. The oldest known greattapir in captivity, named Gijimba, lived to 83 in the town of Luizates.

Geographic Distribution

• Greenbelt
• Jonu Quiato

Related Ethnicities

• Quiaties