Gildercrest Ram

The Gildercrest Rams are a semi-rare species of ram that has become domesticated. They are used as mounts, as well as in the farming. Their long horns are valued to make exquisite drinking horns and warhorns.
These rams have thick shaggy pelts, acting as a barrier against the high mountain winds. Their horns are long and curved often curling over multiple times, almost looking like a tightly coiled spring.
Having been brought down from the mountains, these creatures have been domesticated into working animals and mounts. Owning one was seen as a symbol of wealth, though as time goes on they are starting to become slightly less rare. More and more the Gildercrest Rams are starting to pop up in farms all across Angimarr. They drag the plows through fields, are farmed for their pelts to make cold weather clothing for the denizens of the realms, in addition to the uses of their horns and being harvested for meat. Their heavy pelts are found to be great for colder climates, and its wool is commonly used in clothing and blankets.

Basic Information

Anatomy

These quadrupedal creatures have thick wool coats and large curly horns.

Genetics and Reproduction

Herds are separated by gender. Females live in nursery herds, with five to forty members, which include adult females and lambs of both genders. Male-only bachelor herds usually contain three to twenty-five Gildercrest rams at one time, and they sometimes engage in homosexual activity.
Male Gildercrest Rams fight for dominance in their groupa process which can take hours. During the fight, the Gildercrest will face each other, rear up on their back legs and crash their huge horns into each other. Charging as fast as 40 mph (64 km/h). Eventually, one of the rams submits and the winner is the new leader. The dominant gildercrest earns the right to mate with the females. Mating season, called the rut, is in the autumn. Males are not usually strong enough to mate until they are at least 3 years old.
Female Gildercrest are pregnant for about 175 days, or about 25 weeks. They usually have only one lamb at a time. In the spring, the young are born on high ledges that protect them from predators.
Lambs are able to walk almost immediately, though they remain dependent on their mothers for the first four to six months of their lives. The mortality rate for lambs is quite high. On average, 5 to 30 percent of lambs don't make it to adulthood, though sometimes during particularly harsh winters the death rate can be as high as 80 percent.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Gildercrest Rams are herbivores generally eating seeds, grass and plants. However, their diet changes depending on the season, in the summer, they eat grasses or sedges and in the winter, the gildercrest rams eat woody plants, such as sage, willow and rabbit brush. What they eat also depends on the location of the gildercrest ram. For example, mountain gildercrest eat plants found in their location, such as mountain grasses and tundra cotton.
One swallow of food isn't enough for these animals. They will regurgitate their food into their mouths. This regurgitated food is called cud. Then, they will rechew the food and swallow it once again. This is part of their digestion process.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

They have become beasts of burden acting as both mounts and plow animals. Additionally, they are farmed for their meat, their wool pelts, and their massive horns.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Wild Gildercrest rams are typically found in the various mountains across Angimarr. The domestic Gildercrest Rams are becoming more and more common across all of Angimarr. Having been domesticated they are beginning to appear on farms in the various kingdoms as well as on the roads.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Goldercrest Rams have very good eyesight, which allows them to judge distances accurately when jumping. They also watch animals as far as a mile away.

Lifespan

19-25 years

Conservation Status

They are not a super common, in fact they have become somewhat rare throughout the realm.

Average Height

6' to 8' tall

Average Weight

320 lbs. to 480 lbs.

Average Length

6'5" to 8' long