Bragan Desert Dog

The Bragan Desert Dog is a genetically modified version of the Edenic Prarie Dogs. Their purpose was to help terraform Gilgamesh's Rest and turn the volcanic sand into aeriable soil for agriculture.

The Desert Dogs are enlarged, covered in a thick insultating fur, and excrete a Slog-based mucus from their pores that gives them a constant look of being wet.

The secretion of the Desert Dog serves multiple purposes, firstly it allows them to dig sturdy burrows in the sandy soil, secondly the slog bacteria within the mucus releases enzymes that helps break down organic matter. The breaking down of organic matter was intended to help bring nutrients to the sand and it has had good success and making some sections of Gilgamesh's rest aerable.

Unlike their herbivore sourcce species, Bragan Desert Dogs are omnivorous, and compete against the SulaRutas and other species introduced to the Rest.

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I watched off the balcony, towards the cliff-sides of some of the rocky outcropped. In the shade, I saw what I thought at first were cats. On closer look, they were little weasel critters. They stared out into the distance, chittering to each other as if discussing the weather.

As I watched, they began to burrow as the shade died away under the dual suns. They vanished in seconds, leaving behind a small wet pile of sand in their wake.

Neat.

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by Midjourney

Creator

WorldBiotic Inc.

Diet

Omnivorous

Purpose

Terraformation, Pest Control

Desert Survivors

The Bragan Desert Dog has several unique adaptations to survive in the heat of Gilgamesh's Rest.

• Thick insulating fur designed to dissipate heat and trap in cold air.

• Thick slime-like excretions from the skin that soaks the fur and helps heat dispersion.

• Strong claws designed for defense and digging fast burrows to retreat underground.

Bringing Life

One of the defining and mysterious features of the Desert Dog is the slime it excretes. The thick substance is oily to the touch, and serves several purposes but none of them seen by the naked eye.

The secretion allows the Desert dog to burrow in loose sediment, forming tunnels and burrows even where soil is limited. The greatly expands the possible homes and ranges of the Desert dog.

In the longer term, the oily substance adds nutrients and binder to the sands, which over time can help turn sands into more solid soils that can be used for farming or colonization.