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Description

    In the 2 million years since our last stop, the competition in west Tanrara has only intensified. The two species continuums that once stretched from the rainforests to the savanna have since fractured into new unique varieties that further elaborate on their respective strategies. The aggressive and territorial monarchs keep their tusks pointed at one another as they continue to battle for the best lands to sustain their massive bodies. The diminutive Dwarphels not only have to coexist with the increasingly dangerous monarchs, but now face predation from newly evolved giant carnivores like vultures and crocodilians, luckily their small size has allowed them to explode in diversity and quickly develop a variety of new strategies to compete against the giants that surround them. Meanwhile, a lineage of Jumbushes is pushed to improve its defensive capabilities as they frequently clash with the mighty monarch elephants looking to expand their empires.
Desert Dwarphel
Avg Height: 4ft 2in - 4ft 8in

Avg Weight: ~350 kg

Descended from: Dwarphel (2my)

    The desert Dwarphel has taken a strategy we’ve already seen a few times in response to increased competition, escaping into a harsh environment where no other elephants live. Since it has adapted for an environment similar to that of Aelcio’s camelephants, they’ve convergently evolved similar features such as more wrinkled skin, a slimmer body and thick eyelashes. Like the mountain-living Dwarphels to the north, they’ve re-developed a migratory lifestyle, though they still operate in fluid, disorganized communities. These communities will usually migrate in a general direction en masse, instead of on unique routes following a single leader.
Dynastic Junglord
Avg Height: 8ft 3in - 9ft 4in

Avg Weight: 4.3-5 tonnes

Descended from: Jungle Monarch (2my)

    Originally, it was the largest and most agressive of the monarchs that got to live in Tanrara’s bountiful rainforests while the males who didn’t make the cut were pushed into less desirable lands. This cycle broke down as the monarchs further east began to develop and eventually speciate from the rainforest dwellers. The scarcer resources and harsh seasonal conditions applied more pressure for the eastern monarchs to become larger and stronger, eventually turning the tables on the rainforest monarchs, who were now boxed in by the eastern species. They could no longer continually spread into eastern territory, so their populations became more dense, forcing the males to come to some sort of compromise in managing their territories. Earlier monarchs would allow their own offspring to linger around their territories for a while until they matured. Now these Dynastic Junglords allow their male offspring to cohabit their territories indefinitely. While the father wont usually chase away his own son, brothers will often fight each other to establish a hierarchy between them.   The eastern emperor elephants outpaced them in the race for increased size, so instead a father and 1-3 of his sons will defend their territories together. This strategy worked, but it also limited their range to the lush forest regions that could support their dense population.
Nesting Dwarphel
Avg Height: 3ft-3ft 6in

Avg Weight: ~210 kg

Descended from: Dwarphel (2my)

    The shining sun and periods of dry weather makes it hard for these dwarphels to move unnoticed through the monsoon/savanna woodlands, where both varieties of large predatory vultures roam. The smallest of the dwarphels have taken to constructing simple lean-to’s with branches and leaves, to serve as places to hide or sleep without being spotted. Like other dwarphels, they don’t have strictly defined social groups, though a mating pair will often spend long periods of time cohabitating the same area and looking after their offspring together. Once the offspring mature, they are usually chased off by the parents who usually continue mating until one of them dies, or another male comes along and tries to claim the female for himself, though females who have been with their mate for a long time usually wont accept this and will likely join their mate in fighting back.
Skiddish dwarphel
Avg Height: 3ft 4in - 3ft 10in

Avg Weight: ~260kg

Descended from: Dwarphel (2my)

    Spending most of their lives under a thick canopy, the rainforest-dwelling dwarphels don’t need to worry about predatory vultures like their relatives. Instead They have to live in fear of the aggressive Junglords, whose increasing population density is making them harder than ever to avoid. These dwarphels are geared toward stealth; they move quietly and are mostly active after dark. They look similar to a juvenile Junglord, which sometimes fools the Junglords if they’re ever spotted.
Emperor Elephant
Avg Height: 9ft 3in - 11ft

Avg Weight: 4.5-5.6 tonnes

Descended from: Jungle Monarchs (2my)

    The Emperors of Tanrara’s savanna and monsoon forests are the largest elephants yet seen on jumbo, matching the size of modern African Bush Elephants. The males patrol large expanses of territory, announcing their presence with mighty trumpets and rumbles that can be heard from miles away, letting other males know to keep their distance, or else there’ll be trouble. That’s their first method of posturing, when it doesn’t work and two males end up within sight of each other, they make a threatening display by flapping out their ears and flushing them full of blood, making them appear an ominous shade of red. After their second attempt at posturing, the battle will commence. If they were to go all-out with their monumental strength and deadly tusks, neither party would be likely to walk away unscathed, which is why they try to avoid such encounters as much as possible. Most of the time they’ll only use their full strength against smaller species
Longtusk Jumbush
Avg Height: 6ft 6in - 7ft 2in

Avg Weight: 3-3.6 tonnes

Descended from: Jumbush (2my)

    The longtusk jumbush lives and behaves similarly in an environment similar to the caravan Jumbush of the east. It likely would never have evolved to become its own sub-species, if it weren’t for for the encroachment of the Emperor elephants, whose competition forced them to adapt in response. Their titular long tusks help make up for the difference in reach between them and the Emperors. They stick close together and use teamwork to defend themselves from larger elephants and predators. They often move in a specific formation, with a matriarch leading in front and the larger males travelling along the flanks of the group, while the subadults and females surround the juveniles at the center of the herd.
Nixo Thunnders
    For size reference we have the Elephantlands Terraforming expert, Nixo Thunders, standing at six feet two inches tall. His work was vital for turning jumbo from a barren world into one that could support earthling wildlife, and it remains vital for keeping the conditions of the planet dynamic enough to push the elephants to adapt and diversify, but not so much that they die off. Nixo is also responsible for all of the breathtaking scenic views visitors are treated to during their tours. He sees constructing landscapes like a painter setting up a nature scene. He usually has a lot to say about how exactly visitors should be guided through his landscapes, which isn’t his job, but its nice that he puts in the extra effort.

Description

    In the 2 million years since our last stop, the competition in west Tanrara has only intensified. The two species continuums that once stretched from the rainforests to the savanna have since fractured into new unique varieties that further elaborate on their respective strategies. The aggressive and territorial monarchs keep their tusks pointed at one another as they continue to battle for the best lands to sustain their massive bodies. The diminutive Dwarphels not only have to coexist with the increasingly dangerous monarchs, but now face predation from newly evolved giant carnivores like vultures and crocodilians, luckily their small size has allowed them to explode in diversity and quickly develop a variety of new strategies to compete against the giants that surround them. Meanwhile, a lineage of Jumbushes is pushed to improve its defensive capabilities as they frequently clash with the mighty monarch elephants looking to expand their empires.
Desert Dwarphel
Avg Height: 4ft 2in - 4ft 8in

Avg Weight: ~350 kg

Descended from: Dwarphel (2my)

    The desert Dwarphel has taken a strategy we’ve already seen a few times in response to increased competition, escaping into a harsh environment where no other elephants live. Since it has adapted for an environment similar to that of Aelcio’s camelephants, they’ve convergently evolved similar features such as more wrinkled skin, a slimmer body and thick eyelashes. Like the mountain-living Dwarphels to the north, they’ve re-developed a migratory lifestyle, though they still operate in fluid, disorganized communities. These communities will usually migrate in a general direction en masse, instead of on unique routes following a single leader.
Dynastic Junglord
Avg Height: 8ft 3in - 9ft 4in

Avg Weight: 4.3-5 tonnes

Descended from: Jungle Monarch (2my)

    Originally, it was the largest and most agressive of the monarchs that got to live in Tanrara’s bountiful rainforests while the males who didn’t make the cut were pushed into less desirable lands. This cycle broke down as the monarchs further east began to develop and eventually speciate from the rainforest dwellers. The scarcer resources and harsh seasonal conditions applied more pressure for the eastern monarchs to become larger and stronger, eventually turning the tables on the rainforest monarchs, who were now boxed in by the eastern species. They could no longer continually spread into eastern territory, so their populations became more dense, forcing the males to come to some sort of compromise in managing their territories. Earlier monarchs would allow their own offspring to linger around their territories for a while until they matured. Now these Dynastic Junglords allow their male offspring to cohabit their territories indefinitely. While the father wont usually chase away his own son, brothers will often fight each other to establish a hierarchy between them.   The eastern emperor elephants outpaced them in the race for increased size, so instead a father and 1-3 of his sons will defend their territories together. This strategy worked, but it also limited their range to the lush forest regions that could support their dense population.
Nesting Dwarphel
Avg Height: 3ft-3ft 6in

Avg Weight: ~210 kg

Descended from: Dwarphel (2my)

    The shining sun and periods of dry weather makes it hard for these dwarphels to move unnoticed through the monsoon/savanna woodlands, where both varieties of large predatory vultures roam. The smallest of the dwarphels have taken to constructing simple lean-to’s with branches and leaves, to serve as places to hide or sleep without being spotted. Like other dwarphels, they don’t have strictly defined social groups, though a mating pair will often spend long periods of time cohabitating the same area and looking after their offspring together. Once the offspring mature, they are usually chased off by the parents who usually continue mating until one of them dies, or another male comes along and tries to claim the female for himself, though females who have been with their mate for a long time usually wont accept this and will likely join their mate in fighting back.
Skiddish dwarphel
Avg Height: 3ft 4in - 3ft 10in

Avg Weight: ~260kg

Descended from: Dwarphel (2my)

    Spending most of their lives under a thick canopy, the rainforest-dwelling dwarphels don’t need to worry about predatory vultures like their relatives. Instead They have to live in fear of the aggressive Junglords, whose increasing population density is making them harder than ever to avoid. These dwarphels are geared toward stealth; they move quietly and are mostly active after dark. They look similar to a juvenile Junglord, which sometimes fools the Junglords if they’re ever spotted.
Emperor Elephant
Avg Height: 9ft 3in - 11ft

Avg Weight: 4.5-5.6 tonnes

Descended from: Jungle Monarchs (2my)

    The Emperors of Tanrara’s savanna and monsoon forests are the largest elephants yet seen on jumbo, matching the size of modern African Bush Elephants. The males patrol large expanses of territory, announcing their presence with mighty trumpets and rumbles that can be heard from miles away, letting other males know to keep their distance, or else there’ll be trouble. That’s their first method of posturing, when it doesn’t work and two males end up within sight of each other, they make a threatening display by flapping out their ears and flushing them full of blood, making them appear an ominous shade of red. After their second attempt at posturing, the battle will commence. If they were to go all-out with their monumental strength and deadly tusks, neither party would be likely to walk away unscathed, which is why they try to avoid such encounters as much as possible. Most of the time they’ll only use their full strength against smaller species
Longtusk Jumbush
Avg Height: 6ft 6in - 7ft 2in

Avg Weight: 3-3.6 tonnes

Descended from: Jumbush (2my)

    The longtusk jumbush lives and behaves similarly in an environment similar to the caravan Jumbush of the east. It likely would never have evolved to become its own sub-species, if it weren’t for for the encroachment of the Emperor elephants, whose competition forced them to adapt in response. Their titular long tusks help make up for the difference in reach between them and the Emperors. They stick close together and use teamwork to defend themselves from larger elephants and predators. They often move in a specific formation, with a matriarch leading in front and the larger males travelling along the flanks of the group, while the subadults and females surround the juveniles at the center of the herd.
Nixo Thunnders
    For size reference we have the Elephantlands Terraforming expert, Nixo Thunders, standing at six feet two inches tall. His work was vital for turning jumbo from a barren world into one that could support earthling wildlife, and it remains vital for keeping the conditions of the planet dynamic enough to push the elephants to adapt and diversify, but not so much that they die off. Nixo is also responsible for all of the breathtaking scenic views visitors are treated to during their tours. He sees constructing landscapes like a painter setting up a nature scene. He usually has a lot to say about how exactly visitors should be guided through his landscapes, which isn’t his job, but its nice that he puts in the extra effort.