Oartails

"The utility of these creatures was apparent from the first few hours I spent among the tribes of the lower Lisson. They are intelligent companions, capable assistants, and watchful of the river bank - able to provide early warning to the children playing should one of the monstrous catfish rise from its murky bed. All these traits make the otter - which I shall call it for lack of a better word - an essential part of life in the village, but all pales in comparison to my primary initial observation: they are so adorable!" - from the journals of Jagger Redding

Basic Information

Anatomy

Closely resembling a sea otter, these creatures are quadrupedal with long, thin bodies, strong tails that widen toward the end like a paddle (from which they derive their name), and webbed paws - all of which contribute to their skill and agility as swimmers. Unlike otters, which have short, sleek coats; oartails are covered in shaggy hair that ranges in color from charcoal gray to desert rock red to the greens and brows of river plants. Coloration has been observed to change based on diet and habitat and the early Urunathi tribespeople who first domesticated the otters were known to feed them varied diets to produce multicolored coats in various styles.

Growth Rate & Stages

Oartails pups usually arrive in litters of 3-6 and are carried by the mother for about six months. Father oartails will stand guard over their partner, and then the litter, until the pups are about 6 months old. Pups are born blind and do not leave their parent's side within the first month to two months of their lives. By 2 months old, pups are comfortable walking and swimming and can be taught to climb, dig, and forage by the parents. After 6 months, many of these oartail "families" disband, as the pups are now mature adults, however it is common for families to stay together or at least near each other for several years. Partners do not typically mate for life and will often bring an "outside" partner into a stable family group when one exists. Oartail lifespan in the wild is 7-10 years for males and 8-13 years for females. Domesticated oartails typically live about 5 years longer than this, but mature more slowly, becoming an adult at around a year old.

Ecology and Habitats

Oartails naturally inhabit the upper and lower regions of the River Lisson in the northern lands of the Dearth. This lush riparian habitat is full of edible plants that are staples of the oartail diet: chufa (blade sedge), dates, river fennel, spiny pawpaw, and others. Oartails will nest on the riverbanks in areas of dense vegetation that blocks line of sight to the river and provides canopy coverage - presumably a precaution against the catfish and river rocs that occasionally hunt them. In the rapids and other rocky stretches, oartails will nest in rock formations and caves formed by the river's course, then venture out from these dens to forage and return with food, especially when living with a family group. Oartail's range in habitat along the entire river and have been recorded jumping Lunula Falls and climbing the cataracts to return to the upper Lisson, though the reasons behind these random migrations are not well understood.

Dietary Needs and Habits

In addition to their distinctive coats and tails, the oartail differs from otters in its diet. Otters are carnivores which possess sharp teeth for tearing meat and fish, and crushing teeth for cracking shells. Oartails have the same crushing molars for cracking open nuts that make up part of their diet, but the rest of their teeth are smaller and squarish with lots of area for grinding roughage. The outside of their bite has jagged edges that are sharp enough to cut through blade sedge and other tough grasses that grow in their habitat. Grass, nuts, seeds, and root-tubers, and stalk-vegetables like river fennel are all commonly eaten by oartails. Wild oartails are also commonly seen chewing on discarded and broken shells from river clams, despite being strictly herbivorous. It should be noted that even domesticated oartails will dig out and play with clams either individually (pushing them around or balancing them) or in groups (playing catch) but no oartail has been observed harming the clams or consuming them. This behavior is encouraged by fishers who use the oartails' instinct to harvest shellfish.

Biological Cycle

In the wild, male and female oartails partner during a mating season that typically coincides with the flooding of the river. Using their powerful tails and paws to navigate the swelling water and its faster current, oartails will perform a sort of "dance" by swimming through the water and showing off their coats to one another. If accepted by a female, she will put her muzzle against the paddle end of the male's tale. When this happens the couple joins in a looping swim pattern and bite down hard on each other's tails with the sharp outer edge of their teeth, leaving a distinctive scar which the Urunathi call a "tally". This behavior is common to domesticated oartails as well, though they will often not wait for flood season to mate unless trained out of promiscuous behavior. Since each partnering produces one mark, these tallies can be used to determine how many litters an oartail has produced.

Additional Information

Domestication

Urunathi tribespeople first domesticated oartails when they arrived in the Dearth, centuries ago. They found that the disposition and confidence of the creatures was well suited to living alongside people and at first lived alongside them, preferring to settle villages where there were nests of oartails already nearby. Over time, this relationship led to cohabitation within villages, granting increased protection from predators and food security to the oartails. The primary role of domesticated oartails in Urunathi society was to assist in foraging and gathering food from the river, as well as detecting threats. Compared to wild counterparts, domesticated oartails are smaller, shaggier, and have smaller teeth, as well as more confidence - even bravado - around people and a longer lifespan. Oartails in the present also provide services as desert guides elsewhere in the Dearth, as a sight animal for the blind, and commonly as a family pet or companion animal. The major drawback of domestication has been the onset of digestive illnesses when not fed on a balanced diet, as well as blindness and deafness at older ages (9 and older).

Geographic Distribution

• River Lisson