Arctic Buckerbeak

[Aziel]

Animal Name: Arctic Buckerbeak

Location: Widespread in tundras across the planet.

Effects/Uses: Primarily used for its meat. Its fur can also be turned into small articles of clothing, such as socks or mittens. Particularly long beaks can be used to make small tools immune to cold and freezing, such as knives and chisels.

Description: This large rodent tends to weigh in at 30 -50lbs, with an arm's length body of shaggy silver fur. It has a long, pointed beak that it uses to break through ice and snow, and webbed feet that allows this rodent to glide quickly through water and escape predators. It has a small tail, little more than a tuft of fur, and narrow eyeslits to keep out the icy tundra winds. Typically, it has blue eyes, though some have been found with green eyes, or red if the Arctic Buckerbeak is albino.

Behavior:Arctic Buckerbeaks are herbivores that sit relatively low on the food chain, making them particularly shy and sensitive creatures. They waddle through the snow and rocks, silver fur helping them to blend in, and poke their beaks into the snow to dig up covered plants. Their biggest defense is their incredible sense of smell, allowing them to find what their eyes cannot. These creatures are easy to train when caught early, and make popular pets due to their cat-like need for attention.

Arctic Buckerbeaks move in packs of four to five, with the alpha keeping watch while its pack grazes. If the Arctic Buckerbeak senses a threat, it will let out rapid, high pitched trills to alert the rest of the herd, and they'll all take off together--usually to the nearest body of water, where they'll dive underneath the surface and look for foliage to hide themselves in.