(http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/4156/girlss.png)
:[:Information:]:
Avalon and West Island Tribes' Website (http://catalinaislandpack.proboards.com/index.cgi)
FH website advertisement (http://www.feral-heart.com/index.php?option=com_jfusion&Itemid=2&jfile=index.php&topic=22877.msg293113#new)
Map Download (http://catalinaislandpack.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=readfirst&action=display&thread=12&page=1)
:[:History:]:
The Catalina Island Wolf (or, for short, the CIW's) is a species that has evolved from the common North American Timber Wolf to live specifically on Catalina Island. Although it is unknown exactly how the first wolves were geographically isolated from the mainland, it is believed that temporal and behavioral reproductive isolation grew lead to the CIW becoming it's own species. The Catalina Wolf is a relatively young species, approximately two or three centuries old. During that time, they have lived in peace for the most part. But when the wolves grew tired of being so isolated and eventually learned the skill of canoe-building, trading and exports boomed and the commerce with nearby islands benefited the Catalina Wolves. Many small skirmishes broke out, but the largest war to rattle the Catalinans was the Santa Clemente- Catalina war. It lasted two years, with both island's populations nearly wiped out and ended in a draw and a no-trade agreement placed on the next several generations. Due to the newly lacking resources, tensions have begun to build between the Avalon Pack of the east and the West Island Tribe in the west point of the island.
:[:Physical Adaptations:]:
- Above all, Catalina Wolves are oceanic creatures, as the mainstay of their diets is in the oceans. Their coats resemble a Grey Wolf's pelt, except they consist of three layers of fur rather than two. The baseline lung capacity tops out at 5 or 6 minutes, but with training some can reach anywhere from 10-15 minutes underwater. Some water pressure resistance is also built in with the genes, 100 feet down being the most many can take, but with training some can reach double that.
- Catalina wolves can live to be very old, anywhere from 45-55 years. Some may make it to 60, but it is rare. An approximate way to understand a wolf's age is to take the actual number of years they've lived and to multiply it by two. (A six-year-old wolf is approximately twelve years old in human years.)
- Because Catalina is generally abundant in food, the wolves do not require camouflage to survive, which has allowed a prototypical variation in pelts to occur, though it is still rare and little known about it. But some purebred CIW's have been seen with outstanding mane colors that normally don't occur in nature. One was seen with a bright pink mane and matching tailtip. See top picture, the light tan wolf. This genetic mutation is referred to as just that: The GenMutt's.
- Because of the space limit on the island, the wolves have adapted to having individual family units cooperate in large tribes.
[/color]
:[:Specialized Customs and Behaviors:]:
- Catalina Wolves rely heavily on the use of canoes and rowboats to take them further out into the ocean for larger game and to bus the catches back. They are also the main ways in which they hop from island to island or even, more rarely, to the mainland. The craft of boat-making is passed down from generation to generation.
- Bison roam the central part of the island. To the wolves, the bison are sacred and will not be allowed to die out, but it is recognized that too many of them could devastate the delicate ecosystem. So the two chiefs of the Catalina Wolves will collaborate in a ceremonial hunting party to kill one bison at a given time. Hunting bison outside of these excursions is punishable by death. They take that pretty seriously.
- During the summer and winter solstices, the moon over Catalina glows a dark orange color. On these two days of the year, the females tend to leave the packs and isolate themselves or forming small cliques for the night. This is because there is a physiological mechanism about the solstices that makes all of the able-bodied females extremely fertile. Their eyes glow a light pink and they produce high pheromone levels. Generally, it's gone by morning time.
- Catalina Island wolves do not have last names. Their first names are always ensured to be unique on the island. It is custom that no CIW has a common name, and if by random chance a slip is made and a pup is given an already taken name, the younger pup must hyphenate their name to their mother's name. (Rule of thumb: Sounds tribal? Made it up? It's probably good. Check the members and ranks of the island if you wanna be sure.)
- Every other year, the two tribes switch off springtime responsibility of counting the bison and raising the number of bison that had been lost during the year. There will be the Frenzy of Counting, followed by the Ceremony of Separation wherein the tribe not rearing the calves pull away the mother cows and the rearing tribe takes the calves away, followed by a feast prepared by the Chiefs for all the island. When the calves are grown, the wolves initiate the Releasing Ceremony by painting the young buffalo with ornate designs in flourite crystal, red clay, and any pigmented material they could find or make. They release the young buffalo to graze the island in the midsummer, and is followed by a feast prepared by the tribe who did not rear the calves that year as a gesture of sympathy to the loss of their beloved bison calves.
:[:Mating and Reproduction:]:
Females:- Females become sexually reproductive at the age of 6 years or so, but some may become sexually active older than that.
- Due to a fairly constant weather pattern, Catalina Females are fertile throughout the entire year and can choose to mate at any time they wish. Though, they are most fertile during the summer and winter solstices.
- Difficulty conceiving is a common complaint (or blessing) among Catalina females. It generally takes several encounters for conceptions to take place, except during the solstices where one usually does the trick.
- Gestation can take anywhere from six months to a year-and-a-half. It has been reported a gestation period of two years, but these are rare cases. Among these odd cases, GenMutts tend to be the common factor.
- Females tend to be snappier towards males during gestation periods. This is because one sexual encounter while impregnated will absolutely kill the pups.
Males:- Males become sexually reproductive at about 7 years, but some become sexually active later than that.
- Males are at the beck and call of the females, and are sexually active at all times of the year. The solstice has no direct physical effect on the males, but it's effect on the females does.
- Catalina males generally stick to one mate and mate for life. But the personality of the individual wolf can push against the nature of the species and may mate with more than one female. It is frowned upon in Catalina society.
- Males assist in the raising of the pups.
[/list]
Pups:- Pups are born fairly large because of their long gestation periods. Anywhere from 8-14 lbs. at birth. Anything under 6 lbs. is considered an issue, and is pulled from the mother to be watched by the tribe medic.
- All pups are born with green eyes with golden flecks in the irises. But after a few weeks of having them open, they begin to transform into whichever color they will be in adulthood.
- Pups can swim before they learn to walk.
- "Pueberty" is hit at about five or six years old, but it can be later than that.
:[:Build:]:
Overall: Overall, Catalina wolves are about the same as Gray Wolves as far as pelt colors, but the intensities of the colors are less limited. Body builds can be larger or smaller than the average gray wolf.
Females:
Female Example 1: Lurai (http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/4526/screenshot0620201211582.png) This female is as large as Catalina Females will be able to grow to. She is Chiefess of West Island Tribe (so no steals or u be eated. :U)
Female Example 2: Saki (http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/1381/screenshot0620201211573.png) This female is a full grown adult, and she is slightly smaller than what is allowed for a Catalina female. This is attributed to her being a GenMutt, but that isn't necessarily a common characteristic among GenMutts.
Pelt Colors for Females:: Any neutral or earth color is accepted. Completely black is not allowed. Completely white females are extremely rare; about one for every two-three centuries. For females, pelt colors tend to be lighter, but there are exceptions made and some may be towards the darker values.
Underpelt Colors:: Generally, the underpelts follow closely to the over pelt's color, or match it's hue if not value. Some underpelts match the upper pelt exactly, and this is not uncommon. It is extremely uncommon to have the underpelt be darker than the over pelt. Complete black or white or neon with underpelts is not allowed.
Above eye colors:: Above eyes tend to be just slightly darker than the pelt color, but some may be lighter. Complete black is not accepted unless the pelt color is a dark gray or brown. Complete white is never accepted.
Below Eye Colors:: Undereye colors tend to match the pelt's color. But sometimes they may be either slightly lighter or darker, but rarely by much. Some may match the above eye color.
Nose Color:: Any neutral color. Pink is not accepted, browns and dark grays only.
Markings Colors:: Now here's a fun one. Markings can be colored. Some colors can be fairly intense, so long as they are not extreme neons (In VERY rare cases, there may be one. This requires asking me first and showing a screenshot). Pretty much all hues in the spectrum are game. More often than not, though a marking color a darker shade of the pelt color shows through. Have questions, feel free to ask. c:
Mane colors::Manes are generally dark. Browns and grays are accepted, pure black is okay. The only lighter color accepted is a blond color, so long as it isn't a harsh popping yellow. For older females, a light gray is accepted, but pure white is never accepted. Rare cases have younger females with gray hair, but they must be born with it.
Eye Colors:: Now, there's a reason I left this until last. It's rather complicated, so follow along. I'll list colors from most common, to most rare. Blue, Black, Orange and brown are the most common eye colors. Reds and greens are fairly uncommon. Violet, white, and gray eyes are rare. Hot pink eyes are extremely rare. Heterochromatic eyes are nearly unheard of. Eye colors have all values accepted, from light to dark.
Tails: All except for cat tail. Tailless cannot be given at birth; must be removed by an event.
Manes: All manes accepted.
Ears: Normal, Hyena, Ripped, folded and sharp ears only.
Tuft:Tuftless, butt tuft, back tuft only.
Eyes: All except for pupiless, orb, glow slit, more glow, glow and shine, glow orb, full orb, cross eye, oval, and swirl.
Body Markings: All are accepted. Ones that fit into a tribal theme are encouraged. If it is one of those mostly full-body markings, they may not be colored and must be just slightly lighter or darker than the pelt.
Head markings: All are accepted. Tribal theme is encouraged. Ditto^
Tail Markings: All accepted. Tribal encouraged. Ditto Body markings.
Equip? No.
Items? Yes. But nothing that covers the face and no horns. Horns are sometimes worn by the chief or commander to show power, and they are usually taken from dead bison. Mostly, stick to bracelets and necklaces, bits of jewelry if you'd like.
Males:
Male Example 1: Random Male (http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/4032/screenshot0620201212072.png) This male is just about as large as Catalina Wolves get. Feel free to steal him if you like.
Pelt Colors for Males:: Any neutral or earth color is accepted. Completely white is not allowed. Completely black is extremely rare; about one for every two-three centuries. For males, pelt colors tend to be darker, but there are exceptions made and some may be towards the lighter values.
Underpelt Colors:: Generally, the underpelts follow closely to the over pelt's color, or match it's hue if not value. Some underpelts match the upper pelt exactly, and this is not uncommon. It is uncommon to have the underpelt be darker than the over pelt, just more common on males than with females. Complete black or white or neon with underpelts is not allowed; black is only allowed if the pelt color is very dark.
Above eye colors:: Above eyes tend to be just slightly darker than the pelt color, but some may be lighter. Complete black is not accepted unless the pelt color is a dark gray or brown. Complete white is never accepted.
Below Eye Colors:: Undereye colors tend to match the pelt's color. But sometimes they may be either slightly lighter or darker, but rarely by much. Some may match the above eye color.
Nose Color:: Any neutral color. Pink is not accepted, browns and dark grays only.
Markings Colors:: Now here's a fun one. Markings can be colored. Some colors can be fairly intense, so long as they are not extreme neons (In VERY rare cases, there may be one. This requires asking me first and showing a screenshot). Pretty much all hues in the spectrum are game. More often than not, though a marking color a darker shade of the pelt color shows through. Have questions, feel free to ask. c:
Mane colors::Manes are generally dark. Browns and grays are accepted, pure black is okay. For older males, a light gray is accepted, but pure white is never accepted. Rare cases have younger males with gray hair, but they must be born with it.
Eye Colors:: Now, there's a reason I left this until last. It's rather complicated, so follow along. I'll list colors from most common, to most rare. Reds, Black, Orange and Green are the most common eye colors. Blues and browns are fairly uncommon. Violet, white, and gray eyes are rare. Hot pink eyes are extremely rare. Heterochromatic eyes are nearly unheard of. Eye colors have all values accepted, from light to dark.
Tails: All except for cat tail. Tailless cannot be given at birth; must be removed by an event.
Manes: All manes accepted.
Ears: Normal, Hyena, Ripped, folded and sharp ears only.
Tuft:Tuftless, butt tuft, back tuft, full tuft only.
Eyes: All except for pupiless, orb, glow slit, more glow, glow and shine, glow orb, full orb, cross eye, oval, and swirl.
Body Markings: All are accepted. Ones that fit into a tribal theme are encouraged. If it is one of those mostly full-body markings, they may not be colored and must be just slightly lighter or darker than the pelt.
Head markings: All are accepted. Tribal theme is encouraged. Ditto^
Tail Markings: All accepted. Tribal encouraged. Ditto Body markings.
Equip? No.
Items? Yes. But nothing that covers the face and no horns. Horns are sometimes worn by the chief or commander to show power, and they are usually taken from dead bison. Mostly, stick to bracelets and necklaces, bits of jewelry if you'd like.
Pups:
Pup Example 1: Random Pup (http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/4739/screenshot0620201211592.png) Fairly average pup. Please don't steal, I'm using this character.
-Generally the same thing as the adults, just much smaller. All pups are born with Blue eyes, except in very very rare cases (Usually among GenMutts) they are born with their adult eye color.
GenMutts (Male or Female):
Female GenMutt1: Saki (http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/1381/screenshot0620201211573.png) Using her again. She is a prime example of what a GenMutt looks like. The only odd thing about her is that she doesn't really have any markings, which is uncommon among CIW's.
-GenMutts are rare. They are only 5-10% of the population. If you wish to make a GenMutt, ask me first.-
GenMutts (or genetically mutated wolves) are a fairly new emergence on Catalina. They are characterized by a brightly colored mane, matching tailtip, and sometimes odd eye color. These colors show from birth.
As far as heredity, the gene is recessive. With a heterozygous mate, the chances are about 25% of the gene showing through. With a homozygous dominate mate, the chances drop to 0%.