The fauna of Maradia

[Rida_Cherryglade]

In cold waters the beasts of the ocean grow large... There are several large specimens around the island. Killer wales... narwhals some deep water sharks and there have been sightings of crustaceans the size of elephants... Yes you read that right. We sat ashore on what we thought was part of the cliff but the thing stood on its six legs and wandered off throwing us of its back in the process. How many there are is hard to say... They seem docile enough and didn't seem to have any instinct to engage.

Inland there are plenty of animals... Coastal birds make nests amongst the trees and cliffs that make up the surface of Maradia island... There are large populations of wild goats that the Amahil tend to.
There are also pleanty of wild curly haired boars amongst the fields and forests.

Killer bees.... Yes that's right in the jungles there are bees... bees as aggressive as most wasps and big as fingers... they seem to be naturally resistant to the heat of the steam that goes through out the area and often nest in such areas... Their stings cause severe pain and swelling along with red marks that are similar to burn marks as if ones been scalded. Often comes with blisters. If their honey is edible or has any particular properties is for braver souls then I to find out. They do carry a similar glow to fire flies though they dart about far faster then their lazy saunter and their glow should be a warning to those that approach. As a note these bees are not incapacitated in any way by smoke the way our average honeybee is... so approach with caution.

The islands coast is also populated by turtles that are drawn to the varmer waters were vents bubble up from the seabed... feasting on the abundance of crabs and seaweed that cling to the cliffs and laying eggs amongst the rocky shores.

Fire salamanders yes amongst the cliffs there are salamanders that have adapted to the volcanic heat... Growing to the size of a minotaurs hand with a extremely hot body temprature. Rumored to be able to expel boiling liquid that can easily cause burns and blisters.

[Caolan]

The Blue-Footed Booby

The blue-footed booby is technically a sea bird, as they make their diets up of the fish and squid that can be found in the surrounding waters, capable of both skimming from the surface and diving for a meal as deep as 65 feet below the surface. Their nests can be found in flat sandy areas with minimal traffic from other creatures, or tucked onto rocky surfaces the cliffs afford them. The nests are circular, bowl-shaped, and marked by the nesting mother with guano to reinforce stability.

These birds are a sign of a healthy aquatic ecosystem, not only in population but by coloration of their blue feet, which denotes overall health of the bird and their ability to hunt for themselves, as well as the levels of certain minerals in their diet. The brighter the feet, the more likely the bird is to be chosen as a mate, and as color fades due to age or diet another mate is chosen. Physically, the blue-footed booby has large, webbed feet in varying shades of blue depending on age and diet, it’s a rather average-sized bird, just over two and a half feet long from beak to tail tip. It weighs around three and a half pounds, with females being the larger gender. Wings are pointed and long, brown all over with white plumage across the body, head and neck. Brown specks across the adolescent form to help distinguish it from the elders. The eyes are small and blue, being duller in the males than the females, and fertility is shown by a blue cresting on the female’s head which brightens and dulls similarly to their feet.

Eggs are light blue in color and can be laid every four to five days, allowing for significant sibling rivalry and sibling death in times of harsh supply. Both parents attend the nest, sleeping together and one remaining while the other hunts. They share a nesting ground with other sea-faring birds and smaller young can become prey to other species. Their eggs can be considered a delicacy for humanoids and other prey animals as they are hard to collect without disturbing the entire nesting site.

Careful observation of these birds can help someone figure out where to fish in coming days, and when it will be time to move away from a certain area due to the migration patterns of the larger marine animals. The congregation of these birds can also show the location of shipwrecks, and fishing boats in service.