Yunnanosaurus
Tier: 4
Type: Terrestrial herbivore
Passive growth time: 2 hrs 51 min
Band size: 5 sub adults/adults, 1-8 juveniles/adolescents
Hierarchy: Gerontocracy/Patriarchal
Mating bond: Ambiamorous
Nest size: 1-4 offspring per pair
Diet tags: Herbivore & frugivore
Preferred food: Berry bushes, melons, bananas, flowers & roots
Behavior
The elusive Yunnanosaurus can be found darting in and between the thick bushes of Gondwa, where it’s awkward stride is compensated by it’s ability to seamlessly maneuver around trees and other obstacles with the aid of it’s flexible body. They are curious in nature and often gravitate innocently towards things they deem of interest. This curiosity turns very quickly into hostility however, when a threat is in fact perceived. Once agitated, a vicious and spiteful brute takes over the reins. The dramatic switch in character is seen in both males and females of the species, but taken a step farther when the males are looking for the herds position of leadership.
Recommended behaviors
╸Prefer spending time in thick forests along rivers and other bodies of water.
╸Males will regularly spar and box each other to establish a hierarchy of dominance within a herd for the position of leadership and exclusive mating rights.
╸An agitated Yunnanosaurus will raise its body to an upright position to appear bigger to the aggressor.
╸Yunnanosaurus females are extremely picky when choosing a mate during mating season: only the most impressive males get to continue their bloodline.
Mating
Fights for mating rights may occur at any given moment throughout the course of a year, but are especially common during mating season. Males will brush up against each other and size each other up before the tensions break out into a brief tussle where they will collide with each other with near lethal force. The older the male, the higher the chances of success tend to be. The physical fights however, are only half the battle as the other half is fought trying to impress a female through a dance of courtship, where his features are put on display. A male with its upper body elevated will flash its vibrant dewlap to the interested female. An accepting female will respond by reciprocating his movements with her own. An uninterested one, will respond with her hands instead.
Nesting & offspring
Apart from the initial labor of finding a suitable spot to lay their eggs, there is very little to no adult investment in the early stages of a Yunnanosaurus’ life. They are left to fend for themselves in the thick woods where they were nested, and spend their early life foraging for food items. Upon reaching adolescence, Yunnanosaurus will begin to seek out the herds of their parents and re-unite with them. Very few are successful in this endeavor, but those that pull through will spend the rest of their lives with their respective herds and assimilate very quickly into their pecking orders.