Gushtemiri

I had my doubts about riding on that thing the first time I saw it. It's like a morbidly oversized lizard with desert camouflage all over. It could crush me to death by just laying on me, so I was rightfully sceptical and somewhat afraid. But seeing how everyone approached it with no repulsion but rather calm content, I finally broke through and got on. The ensuing journey blew all my distrustful suspicions away. I was genuinely surprised by how docile the WIP was, though even more with how swift it was in the sand, despite its own size and the weight of me and my baggage on its back. part of the "Diary of a desert fox"

Gushtemiri is a large, scaled lizard, native to the border regions between the desert and savanna of the south of the Eastern Continent. Due to its calm nature which makes it easy to tame and resistance to heat and lack of water, it has become a frequently used beast of burden in the region.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The body of the Gushtemiri is covered in thick scales, that reduce water evaporation and act as protection for the animal. It possesses two protruding "bags" reinforced by hardened skin and bone elements, which are used for water storage, allowing a Gushtemiri to survive for up to 2 weeks without drinking. It moves on 4 legs, located on the sides of its body, making it capable of lifting more than 300kg of cargo on its back.

Scientific Name

Reptile

Conservation Status

Gushtemiris have become widely domesticated and thus are kept on farms and such, sold as beasts of burden. There do still exist some wild colonies of the animal that have been left alone for the preservation of the ecosystem of the regions they live in.