Before we get to this creature's description, I'm gonna say a few words about a decision I've made: I'm going to limit my uploads from 3 a week to 2 a week. This will give me a more manageable and predictable schedule [uploads on Wednesdays and Saturdays] and a bit more breathing room. The past few months at work have been stressful, and I feel like I need to take things a little more slowly. Can't do that at work, so the obvious choice is to slow down uploads. It's a better option than abandoning this wholeheartedly.

With that out of the way, it's creature time.

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The Shnormalope is a gracile herbivore native to the grasslands in the southern part of Eruth. It is a close relative to the Golden Shnorm, one that took to being a fast runner and not a lumbering tank of a beast. Its short but nimble trunk allows it to browse on both low-growing branches and on tall grasses. This allows it to always keep its head above ground and scout for potential threats.

Shnormalopes live in small herds, led by a dominant male, a harem of females, and their offspring. Young females remain with the herd for their entire lives, while males are chased away by their father once they start showing signs of maturity, at around 12 months old. These young bachelors join together into small groups, leading a nomadic lifestyle and searching for a harem of their own. They don't become fully mature until the age of around 36 months; only then do they become strong enough to challenge established herd leaders.

Female Shnornmalopes have smaller horns than the males and can breed by the age of 24 months. They have their own internal hierarchy within the harem, with the oldest and most experienced female leading the rest. Males perform a protective role within the herd, keeping smaller predators at bay and searching for sources of fresh food and water. If a male fails to perform his duties properly, the females will run him out of town (the male has to be either very lazy or violent towards the young, or both, for that to happen).