Arboreal Walrus

The Arboreal Walrus of Kasputin Yar is a curious creature. Its skin is thick enough to make attack by most water-dwelling creatures of its homeworld utterly ineffective, but insufficient to ward off the sharp beaks and claws of many small airborne threats. Because of this, the muscular creatures climb quickly up the Rofalssa Stalks, dislodge as much of the heavy, tough fruits and nuts as they possibly can, and then scamper back down as fast as their four three-clawed flippers and similarly clawed, broad tails will allow them. Failure to move fast can cost the creatures dearly, as flocks of predatory fliers may descend upon them, to claim meals of flesh and blood from the walruses' backs.

Their common name was given to them by offworlders, comparing them to seagoing carnivores from their own native biospheres, but the native Yari call them by a name that translates roughly to 'swimming great-fangs' in an old dialect. The four long, sharp teeth that prortude both upwards and downwards from the beasts' mouths earned them his name, and are used mainly for cracking open large, tough fruits and nuts. It is well known among the Yari that, despite these amphibious beasts being no larger than the planet's dominant civilized species, one should never taunt an arboreal walrus. Their jaw strength alone is ample reason.