Kaiwhekea

Tier: 3
Type: Aquatic carnivore
Passive growth time: 3 hrs 44 min

Pod size: 6 sub adults/adults, 1-4 juveniles/adolescents
Hierarchy: Patriatrichal

Mating bond: Polygyny
Nest size: 1-2 offspring per pair

Diet tags: Piscivore, carnivore, non-cannibalistic, opportunistic & scavenger
Preferred food: Fish, Tier 1-4 carnivores, herbivores & their offspring

Behavior

Kaiwhekea are known as fast and agile swimmers. Swimming near the surface these animals are known to leap out of water to catch birds and different small fliers mid-flight and drown them while violently shaking their prey. This aquatic dinosaur is a more solitary animal than you can imagine, usually tolerating only two or three other Kaiwhekea in their presence. Kaiwhekeas occasionally swim upstream into large freshwater rivers in search of migratory fish.

Recommended behaviors

╸Hunts near the surface and shallow waters.
╸Avoids deep waters where the ocean floor visibility is weak.
╸Solitary animals, usually living in pairs or trios and will not tolerate other Kaiwhekea in the area.
╸Playful behavior with its prey.
╸Can often be spotted basking in shallow waters or even on land for a short period of time.

Mating

During mating season both sexes get extremely vocal underwater. These loud calls are used to locate a possible mate and to also evaluate and select the best male for mating. This loud vocalization can be divided into two categories, long-distance and local calls. Long-distance calls, being like a broadcast, are used to find a mate while the local calls, being more friendly and submissive, are used to attract a mate. Males will mate multiple females during mating season. If two different males happen to end up in the same area during an active mating season, they will usually try to drive the other one away. These fights seldomly end up in a dead male, but deep scars and bite marks are left in both.

Nesting & offspring

Male Kaiwhekea do not participate in taking care of the hatchlings and will usually return back to its solitary lifestyle after mating season is over. When preparing for the hatchling’s arrival, the female Kaiwhekea finds a small cave or a hole underwater where her hatchlings can be born in peace. Kaiwhekea hatchlings are born, developed and ready to swim after their mother, who will almost immediately leave her cozy little cave to avoid predators catching on the scent of blood. The hatchlings will stay close to their mother while she hunts for fish and marine life to feed her young. Upon reaching sub-adulthood, male Kaiwhekeas part ways from their mothers, while female offspring might continue swimming with their mothers until they reach adulthood.