Sabretooth Tiger Seal
“It was a gigantic animal, like a seal, but a seal as big as an orca.”
Sabretooth Tiger Seal, also known as Seatigers and Dire Seals, are bigger, tougher, smarter cousins of regular seals that could be found in the Sea of Sabres and the Darkural Sea.
Despite being aggressive vicious marine predators, these creatures are known exhibit some higher-level emotions, a friendly and even playful nature.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Adult sabre seals are characterized by their prominent, large and curved fangs jutting out from their mouths, upon which their name was derived, in addition their considerable bulk: adult males can weigh more than 13,300 pounds (6,000 kilograms), while a female averages 1,361 to 3,628 kg (3,000 to 8,000 lbs.). They are often mistaken for particularily vicious walruses, however, unlike walruses, to skim the seafloor for crustaceans and mussels, the sabre seals have their toothy maws and two large canines that are used in taking down large prey, similar in shape and usage to that of smilodons, though notably, far more robust. Mature males often show scars which stem from past hunts.
Genetics and Reproduction
Sabre seals are among the few animals that undergo menopause and live for decades after they have finished breeding. The lifespans of wild females average 50 to 80 years.
The males reach sexual maturity as early as ten years, but do not typically mate until they reach peak fertility around 20. Males compete for access to a harem of females during mating season through violent brawls both above the waves and at sea, be it on the sandy shores or in the depths of the high seas, the battles are violent, bloody and at times, fatal. Gestation lasts 15 to 18 months. The first three to four months are spent with the blastula in suspended development before it implants itself in the uterus. This strategy of delayed implantation, common among pinnipeds, presumably evolved to optimize both the mating season and the birthing season, determined by ecological conditions that promote newborn survival.
Ecology and Habitats
In the wild, sabre seals are found exclusively in the temperate waters of the Sea of Sabres. They use powerful tails and flippers to swim through the dangerous waters, reaching maximum speeds of 53 km/h (32.9 mph). They use this impressive swiftness to access squids, crustaceans, and other dangerous prey that most animals cannot take advantage of. However, they are slow outside on land and only come out of the water at night when the air is cool. If the air is too cold, they huddle together for warmth, but usually, they spend the days under the waves hunting for food. Sabre seals are known to frequently hunt near undersea portals to the Elemental Plane of Water and congregate close to secret, sheltered lagoons. As a result, the indigenous tritons of the sea use sabre seals as guides to hidden safe havens during the violent winter storms.
And on occasion, if theres mutual trust, the pod may even lead you to undisclosed
Wavegates and Elemental Vortices to the plane of water.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Sabre seals are typically known to hunt large fish and squids, as well as several kinds of warm-blooded animals, including other seals, small whales, porpoises, dolphins, sharks, and even juvenile sahaguin. They are resourceful hunters that employ sophisticated hunting strategies such as breaking the hulls of ships to drown their occupants. A bob of sabre seals is more than capable of collaborating and the use of sophisticated hunting techniques to bring down much larger prey. Allthough it has yet to be confirmed, there are stories of larger sabre seal squadrons taking down Dragon Turtle and Sahaguin warparties. Be it fact or fiction, the stories at least covey the efficiensy, determination and sheer lethal might of a Sabre seal squadron on the hunt.
Behaviour
Known to be highly territorial, and protective of their young, they will attack any creatures invading their homes. In some cases they have been observed willing to sacrifice their own lives to protect the rest of their squadron. They are not generally evil or malicious, allowing any intruders the opportunity to flee before they attacked. Those who do not leave a sabre seals hunting grounds shall find themselves quickly set upon by a savage opponent. Sabre seals are notable for their complex societies. Only elephants, orcas and higher primates live in comparably complex social structures. Due to these seals' complex social bonds, many marine experts, maesters and wizards have concerns about how humane it is to continue the practice of commercial hunting.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Sabre seals live in familial groups called harems, pods or squadrons numbering 10 to 20 seals, although some pods may combine to form a group of 60 or more. Occasionally, larger groups of seals will congregate in vast numbers, around particularly well-sheltered meaches and lagoons or espechially food rich areas. These groups, called armadas, fleets or colonies, are often fraught with competition between males. These colonies will actively work to drive any competion out of their territory. thus their territories tend to be devoid of killer whales, sharks and sahaguin as they were natural enemies, and in the latter two's case, prey. All this activity and great deal commotion attracts some of the sabre seal's biggest predators—dragon eels, sea serpents and dragon turtles. Female sabre seals raise pups communally within the squadron.
They maintain positive relations with good-aligned sentient aquatic species. Sabre seals are curious about surface-dwelling humanoids but cautious and out right hostile around those who hunted them.
Domestication
Domesticated sabre seals come in three main varieties: draft seals , companion seals and race seals. Draft seals have less fat than their wild counterparts, smaller tusks, and thinner coats. Race seals have even less fat, leaner muscles, and are usually smaller than their wild or draft cousins. Companion seals are the smallest of the trio, having an emphasised coat of vivid colour, a far rounder shape over all, and retaining many juvenile traints into adulthood. Their tusks are also often filed and artificially shaped to make them more responsive to commands. Among all aquatic mounts, they are considered to be one of the most prized.
The merfolk, tritons, water genasi and dratuga of the Sabre Sea often keep these seals as pets. They make loyal companions; though they leave for the mating season each year, they always return. They can be taught to do tricks and follow commands. They are also used to help hunt for food, though the seals are capricious and sometimes eat their catch or return it with a bite taken out of it.
One does not simply, just go out and acquire a Sabre seal as a pet. It's sort of a mutal thing; The trainer and their sabre seal must train tirelessly in working as a team. The seals are raised and trained from pups to adulthood. They are trained on what to eat, how to perform complex naval maneuvers and respond to commands. The trainers are taught to care for and groom their companion and how to handle them during hunts.
In case of a trainer's death, the seal companions have been seen paying special respect to the bones of their beloved trainers,returning often to visit sites where they died, sometimes repeating such a pattern of grieving rituals for several years in the case of a mate, sibling, calf or a particularliy long bonded trainer.
Uses, Products & Exploitation
Sabre seals are used by local tritons, water genasi and merchants to as mounts to traverse the dangerous waters of the Sea of Sabres. While most Dratuga and durish humans do not use sand seals as mounts, they do use them as guides to safe lagoons, hunting grounds and undersea portals and reservoirs, as well as for their hides and meat. Centuries ago, the genasi also developed a sport, called Waveriding also known as Skimracing, which involves the racing of sabre seals in dangerous competitions around buoys or similar marks in protected waters, while some longer offshore races cross open watertracks. The sport grew in popularity during the Era of the Naghronid Djerate and was exported throughout the entire continent of Urbûn, with each region using their own local mounts instead of sabre seals, as they are only native to the Sea of Sabres . Today, Skimracing has dropped in popularity around most of its former range, but remains the national pass-time of its successor state,the Qyzharate of Duryad.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Contiguous range throughout the Sea of Sabres and the Shatterwing Isles of the Tharakiot archipelago. although a rare arctic subspecies has been reported as far north as the frigig shores of Njorskarmarkr.
Average Intelligence
Sabre seals are utterly fierce, aggressive, and fearless predators that attack anything within their range of detection. However, they are not excessively hostile, usually only attacking when hungry or provoked. Sabre seals are a highly intelligent species. They are even intelligent enough that, with some training and a brave trainer, they could be used as mounts. They are thought of as playful, but are ferocious when fighting.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Sabre seals find their food and avoid potential predators by sensing movement through whisker-like hairs integrated into their thin coats. They have keen eyesight, a reasonable sense of smell, and excellent hearing. They communicate both through movements such as flapping their flippers, breaching, slapping the surface of the water with their tails incertain patterns, or twisting their bodies, as well as through vocalizations when on land.
They have rather large eyes, with a spherical lens to help with focusing. Their pupils are mobile to compensate for the glare of the surface. Reflective back of eye to help with lower light environments.
Scientific Name
Thalavenator phocidus imperator
Lifespan
Sabre seals are among the few animals that undergo menopause and live for decades after they have finished breeding. The lifespans of wild females average 50 to 80 years.
Conservation Status
Near-threatened
Average Weight
Adult males may weigh almost twice as much as females, up to 13,300 pounds (6,000 kilograms).
Average Length
Adult male Sabre seals in the North Sea of Sabres may grow to a length of approximately 27 feet (8.2 m), whereas females grow to an average length of about 23 feet (7 m)
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Sabretooth Tiger Seal have, as their name implies, a rather striking coat, resembeling that of ordinary terrestrial tigers. The adults are covered orange fur and distinctive black stripes. Seal pups are snow white, juveniles and teens have charcoal-grey backs, slate-grey bellies, with black stripes. Their distinctive striped fur comes in a range of hues from dusky, greys and blues to iridecent brass, redish oranges and rusty-browns.
Geographic Distribution
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