#kakliosaur

The Kakliosaur

Kakliosaur are one of the largest quadrupedal land predators native to Tuchanka. During the Rachni Wars they were used as war mounts for krogan who were sent to fight on Rachni homeworlds. They are able to withstand most toxic environments which gave the krogan the upper hand in fighting the Rachni. They also became extinct by the time the war ended and their memory was preserved through paintings and bones kept by shamans. 

Thanks to the efforts of Shepard and the salarian science community kakliosaur remains were found and cloned. The first clones were used to help krogan fight against reaper troops, and after the war the surviving animals were brought back to Tuchanka. The generation of cloned kakliosaur were cared for and later bred to create a second and third generation of kakliosaur. Many were cautious about releasing them into the wild immediately so the earlier generations were kept under watch to see how well they acclimatized to Tuchanka’s environments and see what their presence caused on the ecosystems. Scientists kept an eye on these herds to learn how they hunted, bred, and raised young without the aid of animal husbandry.

Thanks to the preserved fossils and cloned herds, scientists learned males have tusks and both male and females have horns which grow in size, they assume, with age. Each preserved skull had unique horn formations, and even with the cloned kakliosaur, scientists have not been able to pinpoint the exact reason this occurs.

It was discovered that kakliosaur were vital for maintaining ecological diversity. In whatever region they made their home in the kakliosaur would prey on animals that were considered pests to the local settlements. Varren numbers were brought to a manageable number, gnawr colonies vanished from populated areas. Their presence even caused thresher maws to migrate further in order to protect their nests. This in turn allowed certain plant life to grow again and a number of other animals to return.

Diet

Kakliosaur are omnivorous, but the type of food depends upon their age and size. When young, kakliosaur feed on vegetation and small animals including fish and pyjak. As they grow, larger prey is taken such as varren, mace rays, gnawr and even juvenile thresher maws making them apex predators. It is this role that determines the number of prey species and vegetation in an area. They rarely compete with other animals of similar size, such as the Mogza in Murtag territory who are belligerent enough to fight with them. And like the krogan, kakliosaur have their own hump of fat reserves for when food and water are scarce.

Scientists discovered the teeth of a kakliosaur vary from region to region due to their diets. Those that feed solely on varren and soft shelled prey have sharp and pointed teeth. Kakliosaur that feed on animals with thicker hides have duller, rounded teeth. And those that prey on armored animals such as gnawr and threshers have teeth nearly worn down to the gum line. This was further proven by the kakliosaur skulls preserved by clan shamans.

Behavior

A herd of kakliosaur is made up of twenty five to thirty females led by the eldest called a Herd Mother. Male kakliosaur have their own herds and are peaceful with one another until mating season begins. That is when bulls contest with one another for the privilege to be accepted into a Herd Mother’s group. Females observe males as they spar and not only judge by strength but also by horn and tusk formations and hide coloration. Males approach the female herds at their own risk because if they do not impress, the Herd Mother will chase him off or tear him to shreds.

A male who is accepted into the herd takes on the role as lead bull. The lead bull’s purpose is to become a protector and consort until the Herd Mother chases them off, or another male wins the position. In some rare cases a Herd Mother allows for two males, a lead bull and a “lieutenant.” They have a better chance at sticking with a herd longer due to doubling their chances at fighting off rivals. And the herd’s genetic diversity is increased with two males breeding within the group. 

A female usually gives live birth to twins, and on rare occasions; triplets. Both calves learn everything from their mothers and when the males are sexually mature, either the lead bull or herd mother chases them off. The female offspring stays with her mother, aunts and grandmother till the end of her days. Young bulls join bachelor herds where they grow and fight to become lead bulls for other herds.

Kakliosaur have a keen sense of smell, but suffer from shortsighted vision. They can only distinguish figures and shapes within fifteen feet which makes them prone to charge when they deem a distant figure as prey or a threat. It is advised by the CDEM, if a handler or hunter are not present, to never approach a wild or domesticated kakliosaur 

Their vision slightly improves at night, but Kakliosaurs depend more on their hearing and sense of smell. A kakliosaur can hear the subterranean movements of a thresher maw which have helped improve the warning signals for clan settlements and caravans. They can also detect the smallest shifts of a gnawr beneath the sand, and their sense of smell helps them find water within the vast expanses of waste. Krogan have used this to their advantage to plot routes to water sources and areas to avoid so tourists, pilgrims, and caravans can travel safely.

Kakliosaur are loyal to their herds, and to handlers if raised properly. Many krogan will encourage future handlers and riders to start young to form and strengthen a bond. But Rites have developed in which a krogan attempts to capture a full grown kakliosaur, thus proving their mastery over beasts. These rites have thus far had a 100% failure rate in actual capture, due to participants receiving broken bones, losing limbs, or not returning at all. The rite is not about a successful capture so much as it is about surviving. Afterwards, those krogan who do return are given the right to train a calf if they still have the interest for it.

Habitat

Due to their high resistance to toxins and ability to withstand the harshest of environments, kakliosaur can live anywhere. Old records from clan histories said a kakliosaur would keep growing as long as they had enough open space and ample food. Lifespans were rumored to be as long as a krogan’s, though it will be a long time before new generations will be able to prove that.

However, there is one individual that is living proof to every shaman record available on kakliosaur. The krogan regard this specimen as a sacred beast and natural phenomena. Wrak the White is claimed by many krogan to be the last living kakliosaur who survived the initial extinction. The stories of his origin vary from clan to clan. Some say he was the only living kakliosaur to survive the Rachni Wars and was released into the wilds. He was the war mount of the dreaded Jorgal Kawk before he swallowed a piece of the Void and vanished. Others suggest he was the mount of Warlord Shiagur herself, who set him free before her final confrontation on Canrum.

One thing all krogan know is Wrak resides in the harshest most dangerous areas of The Furnace. Those who managed to get a glimpse claim he is the size of a mountain, perhaps large enough to fight Kalros herself. Unfortunately, it's physically impossible for both the krogan and their equipment to survive the heavy radiated areas of the Furnace to study him, but many Jorgal will claim one can see shifting mountains on the distant horizon should they get close enough.

Culture

Like the thresher maw, almost all clans have a reverence for the kakliosaur. They fought and died with the krogan during the Rachni Wars which made them krantt. Paintings of them can be found in old ruins and they are prominent in sacred areas such as the Valley of Kings. Years prior to the first clones, not much was known about their roles in krogan society other than war. But after the first cloned herds were released many saw the change they caused to the planet’s ecosystem, and the effort it took to bond with one. Krogan soon learned why the Old Ones viewed them as sacred.

With the kakliosaur population growing, krogan have brought back ancient sports such as Korgha where riders joust atop kakliosaur. Other sports include the endurance race called Khartak where riders and their mounts participate in a competition through the Karaang Mountains. Different clans host their own version of Khartak in various territories that are just as treacherous, and can last days. 

The Mayaxi Games is a series of competitions that test speed, coordination and communication between krogan and kakliosaur. The games include races, and exhibition shows such as judging a kakliosaur’s appearance and ability to follow its rider’s commands.

These events are held yearly and are perfect opportunities for krogan, both expert and novice, to participate in and learn more about kakliosaur.