Travel & Hunting

Diet: Obligate Carnivore
Can enjoy and consume some herbivorous foods in small quantities

Fit creatures are forces to be reckoned with, clocking in at the following:

• Short Sprint - 80km/h (50mph) - 30 seconds

• Distance Chase - 57km/h (35mph) - 20 minutes

• Steady Lope -16km/h (10mph) - All Day

When hunting, a short sprint after a stalk is the favored method. If getting close enough to do this is not possible, they will change tactics to pursuit predation, following the prey until it is too exhausted to flee. The ability to detect ultraviolet light and their superior sense of smell are mighty boons in this method.

They usually hunt in packs and at night, and can be quite organized in their tactics. Some have been observed setting ambushes, with a few packmates lying in wait for the rest of the family to drive prey to them for an easy catch. Tactics and deception are both frequently utilized, and hunts are even planned in advance.

They typically eat all of the carcass, including the bones. Scavenging is generally less desirable than fresh meat, but Krowleus have a strong stomach and won't turn down a good meal.

Krowleus with access to large water systems may become adept fishers and even prefer a diet of aquatic foods. Their dextrous thumb-claws can even help with prying into more troublesome prey like clams and oysters.

Distribution & Territory

Though initially originating in the hot tropical grasslands ruled by wet and dry seasons, Krowleus have proven extremely adaptable and can be found in nearly any biome. Heavy barbarys and sleek kirin coated variants are particularly well suited to colder regions, and some Krowleus even grow a winter coat come cold seasons, bleaching out to help them blend in.

They can be found likewise in dense forests living semi-arboreal lives, along coasts fishing and raiding clifftop nests, tracking herds following the rains, even in parched deserts and boggy swamps. It should be noted, however, that many adaptations are learned from family/packmates, and a Krowleu accustomed to prairie life might struggle to survive in a woodland or coastal environment without help learning the ropes.

Most Krowleu clans have a set territory they range from. The size depends on the availability of food in the area and the size of the pack, as a territory must be large enough to sustain them. Clawmarks on trees or in the dirt are a favored way of establishing borders, along with scent marking and barking/howling to make their claim on land known.

Others prefer to travel without establishing a permanent home, especially dispersals looking for mate(s) to found their own clan with. This lifestyle is risky, however, as most packs are protective of their territory, and life is harder on the move with no dens or allies to reliably return to.

Social Structure & Hierarchy

A group of Krowleus is called a Clan
Group Size: 2-50
Lifespan: 30-50 years if healthy
Oldest recorded: 73 years

Krowleus, being highly intelligent and social, show a wide range of behaviors between different clans. There are no absolutes, only common trends.

They can form complex relationships - pair bonds, friends, rivals, enemies. They are able to recognize distant kin as family and perceive relationships between other individuals, and incorporate these into social decision making. Krowleu tend to be cooperative, have long memories, and will even teach each other skills.

Most groups are led by a dominant female, though it is not uncommon to see male-led or co-opted packs. Some are little more than loose bands of associates, while others have rigid hierarchies and even their own unique rules. Members may even be trained in specializations, and incorporate a fairly tribelike structure.

Age and experience generally influence social status, with higher amounts of both being valued. Relationships also play a role in hierarchy. Much like with Primates and Spotted Hyenas, befriending or aiding well-respected clanmates (or their friends/relatives) will usually improve standing. In larger clans, multiple smaller coalitions can develop with their own collective "ranks" on top of singular ones.

Elders are generally respected and even cared for by the rest of the clan when they become too old to do so for themselves. Injured clanmates may also be cared for, if not by the entire clan then by their friends or family, until they've healed. Aid may be remembered and reciprocated.

Cubs also tend to inherit some social rank from their parents, but are raised collectively by the pack. They spend several years learning social cues and survival skills from the older members of the clan. After this, they usually disperse to find partners of their own and/or form new territories. Some may prefer to stay with their home pack for the entirety of their lives, though in cases of overcrowding, low-ranking non-dispersals may be pushed out to make room for new litters.

Cub mortality varies heavily with the experience, strength, and resources available to the parents. Well-off clans may succeed in raising more than 80% of their offspring. Clans comprised of only a pair, or a single parent, may fail to raise any offspring to adulthood at all. Illness in the first couple of months is the primary cause of death, but predation can also be a risk if curious youngsters wander too far. Juveniles learning to hunt may also be prone to accidents, though by this age the pack is generally better equipped to care for the cub until it recovers.