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porcupine4444 — Congo Swampland

#africa #africanelephant #afterman #animals #civet #congo #elephant #future #futureiswild #jungle #manatee #monitor #monitorlizard #nilemonitor #okapi #pangolin #python #futureevolution #speculativeevolution #thefutureiswild #speculativebiology #bushelephant #rockpython #speculativezoology #africanpalmcivet #treepangolin #forestelephant #africanmanatee
Published: 2024-03-10 20:25:04 +0000 UTC; Views: 1218; Favourites: 5; Downloads: 0
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Description Although the Congo Rainforest is still very much that, large parts of the forest floor have been flooded due to rising sea levels, creating a patchwork of rivers, lakes, and islands. Additionally, all primates that used to live here have been wiped out by a virus, leaving the canopies wide open for new species to take dominion.

Top Left: The hybridized descendants of African Bush and Forest Elephants are well adapted to this environment, possessing long legs and wide feet to let them stride through the marshlands more easily, as well as long, downwards-facing tusks to help dredge up aquatic plants. Though smaller than most Elephants, they have the temperament of African Bush Elephants, making them extremely dangerous once provoked, to the point where they cause the extinction of Hippopotamuses in the Congo due to the latter's territoriality getting them in unwinnable confrontations.

Top Middle: The last Giraffid in Africa, the descendants of Okapis haven't changed much despite the flooded landscape, gaining longer legs with significantly less fur, and a higher number of stripes to better their camouflage, with the patterns being especially prevalent from above and below, making it difficult for predators to accurately pinpoint its position.

Top Right: African Manatee descendants thrive in these waters, not only having their homes greatly expanded, but also no longer having to compete with Hippopotamuses for food; however, there are still many dangers in the waterways, prompting them to evolve very thick skin, usually making them more trouble than they're worth.

Middle Left: African Rock Python descendants have taken the water similarly to their cousins in Florida; however, they're much larger, having evolved to ambush megafauna crossing rivers, something which is much easier thanks to their markings breaking up their outline, and a fluked tail to make them move even faster in the water.

Middle Right: In the trees, descendants of African Palm Civets have taken the niche of agile, arboreal predators, using their elongated limbs and body, razor-sharp claws, and prehensile tail to easily navigate the trees and chase after prey, avoiding the dangerous waters below.

Bottom Left: The descendants of Tree Pangolins have taken arboreality to the next level, using huge, hooked claws, flexible fingers, and a prehensile tail to stay high in the trees as they forage for insects. While nowhere near as fast or agile as the creatures they coexist with, their sharp, plated armor prevents most predators from attacking, especially when they curl into a ball, forcing the bladed tips of the plates out towards the attacker.

Bottom Right: Nile Monitor descendants are incredibly successful here, using a combination of a paddle-like tail and powerful, clawed limbs to thrive in both the water and trees, giving them a wide range of prey to choose from or escape options if their camouflage fails.
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Comments: 2

JakeLazyFox2023 [2024-03-10 20:59:07 +0000 UTC]

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

porcupine4444 In reply to JakeLazyFox2023 [2024-03-10 21:01:20 +0000 UTC]

👍: 1 ⏩: 0