Grizzlen (Grizzly Bear)

A well adapted bear– and one of just two to emerge after the first Chaos and thrive through the Infection– this bear is similar to the other minimally-hibernating warmblooded creatures in that its body goes through many changes in order to survive the extremes of the seasons.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Large paws to help with mobility over thick snow blankets.

Genetics and Reproduction

Grizzlen mate once a cycle, during Autumn. After mating, the blubber building function of the female's body starts early, and the female hunts and stores fat over the one year gestation period, before retreating to her cave-den to birth and nurse her litter of one to three cubs for up to six months, during which she will enter a mini-hibernation period. The cubs remain in light hibernation (waking occasionally to suckle) until the Mists.

Growth Rate & Stages

After the initial nursing period, the mother bear will occasionally leave her litter sleeping in her den to hunt and store fat, sealing the den as she leaves to protect her offspring from the males, who find a cub just as tasty as any other prey. Once the Rimes begin, the female will return to hibernation with her cubs until the Mists.

After winter is over, the mother bear and cubs wake from hibernation and exit the den. The cubs follow the mother around until Spring, at which point they leave, having grown nearly to full size and learned what they need to know to survive.

Ecology and Habitats

Grizzlen are best suited for moderate to slightly cold climates, due to their limited abilities to cope with lingering blankets of snow.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Grizzlen are carnivorous predators which hunt and generally live alone; this solitary nature leads them to prey on creatures smaller than half their size, though they will turn to larger creatures as necessary.

During the warmer years, a bear will eat all suitable parts of their catch, but they gorge only on the fattier tissues while they are building blubber for hibernation– this is because grizzly bears have a limited ability to retrieve water from fat during the cold years, and so consuming protein only makes them thirsty without greatly replenishing their water supply.

Biological Cycle

In preparation for the Winter, grizzly bears grow a double coat of white fur, and gain a layer of blubber from excessive hunting and eating. Throughout the Winter, the bears will hunt the small prey that sticks around and the larger prey passing through– making use of their camouflaged coats– while also preparing their cave-den (for females) or freshly-dug snow cave (for males) for the Rimes, into which they bring fur and feathers that the bears scraped off their prey to line their den.

Once the Rimes begins, Grizzlen move into their dens and cover as much of the entrance as they can with snow or debris, in order to prevent rimestones from forming inside the lair. Once sealed inside, the bears hibernate for the entirety of the Rimes; bears that wake up can't return to sleep, so those who wake before Spring usually die.

Once Spring arrives and the bears awake, they leave their den and spend their time hunting or grooming– their fur is extremely itchy and hot as the winter double coat is pushed out by the cooler brown summer coat, and the grooming help removes the old hair.

Scientific Name

Shade

Lifespan

2.5 cycles

Average Height

3 a

Average Weight

Male

10 rw

Female

8 rw

Average Length

Male

5.5 a

Female

5 a

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

During the winter months, Grizzlen possess a white coat of fur, which they shed in the Mists to reveal a gray or brown coat during the warmer months.