Monterras Mammoth

Monterras Mammoth is a Hyperborean herbivorous mammal. It lives throughout Monterras Island, generally eating pine trees, bushes, and other plants. They may also eat dead plants. Part of the genus Mammuthus, they are a relatively smaller species, having an average height of about 8.5 feet (2.6 meters) for females, and 8.9 feet (2.7 meters) for males. They also have slightly less fur than other species due to the cold, but not completely polar temperatures of Monterras Island.
They are considered a social species, as they travel in herds throughout the land. The species also extends to the Addterras Isles, forming a subspecies.
==Etymology==
Monterras Mammoth got its name because of its location on Monterras Island, also because it is the only mammoth located on Monterras Island. Local Auean tribes refer to it as 'the great beast of Monterras'.
==Taxonomy and Evolution==
The mammoth is part of the Eukarya domain, the Animalia kingdom, the Chordata phylum, the Mammalia class, the Proboscidea order, and the Elephantidae family. It has the genus Mammuthus and its scientific name is Mammuthus monterriensis. Some Monterrian Mammoths have been able to migrate southwards, and landing in the Addterras Isles, creating the subspecies M. m. addterriensis, and seperating from the mainland subspecies M. m. mainlandensis. The subspecies of M. m. piniensis, located in the Pinia (Boreal) Forest, also exists to the west coast of Monterras Island.
The Monterras Mammoth evolves from the genus of Mammuthus, and the current species is believed to be directly evolved from another species of mammoth either located in the Hyperborean region, or from Megaterras, but it's more likely to be from Hyperborea, as the species seems to always have had cold-insulating fur, meaning it must have come from an ancestor that was already native to the cold. Although its direct ancestor is currently unknown, its ancestor is hypothesized to be the Hyperborean Mammoth.
==Biology & Ecology==
===Physical Characteristics===
The Monterras Mammoth has a thick coat of skin, with a fur all over their body in order to keep warmth, although it has less fur in general compared to other species in the same genus. They also appear to have a smaller average height, which likely may be because of the lack of tall plants on Monterras Island, which is largely a bogland, other than the Pinia (Boreal) Forest. Due to Monterras Island mostly being a cold wetland, its feet are wider than many other species. This is likely to increase its surface area, allowing it to not sink as much into the moist, squishy ground. An interesting, distinct characteristic of the Monterras Mammoth is that its tusks present anti-fungal properties. This is likely due to the increased bacterial and fungal specimens in the wetlands, and this characteristic allows it to have cleaner, stronger, and longer-lasting tusks.
The subspecies of M. m. addterriensis has some distinct characteristics, the most important being its even wider, average feet, which is likely to traverse through the squishier lands of the Addterras Isles. The subspecies of M. m. piniensis has a generally taller average height compared to other subspecies, likely due to the existence of taller plants in the Pinia (Boreal) Forest. It also appears to have longer tusks, likely to compensate for the taller average height, allowing it to still reach the ground to dig.
===Behavior===
Monterras Mammoths are relatively social species, usually living in herds of 5-10 individuals, with at least 1-4 individuals being calves (young Monterras Mammoths). The females in the herd usually care for the calves, feeding them and teaching them the ways of life. The males of the herd usually command the herd, and usually defend the herd from predators and other attackers. The elderlies of the herd are usually cared for by the females of the herd as well, and the elderlies can also be spotted caring for the calves.
Monterras Mammoths usually communicate through grunts, whistling through their trunks, trumpeting, growling, and roaring noises, all usually having different meanings in their 'language'. They also communicate by stomping and waving their trunks in different motions. There are different variations of grunts, although they all fall under the meaning of 'I'm angry/annnoyed/frustrated'. The whistling usually means 'I'm happy/excited'. Trumpeting can usually be used for a variety of reasons, with all of them to catch the attention of the herd. It can be used to alert the herd of danger, to call out to lost members, and to alert of a found food source. Growling can usually mean to stay cautious and alert, or to generally communicate together in a more quiet or secretive way. Roaring is the most used sound, and has the broadest range of meanings, most of which's meanings have not been found out by scientists. 
===Reproduction & Life Cycle===
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===Diet===
Monterras Mammoths usually feed on grasses, small bushes, and other small, low-lying plants. They may also eat small trees' branches if they come across them. The subspecies M. m. piniensis is also known to eat pine tree branches. They can use their strong trunks to break off branches and bring it into their mouth. The mammoths sometimes eat mushrooms as well, although it is not part of their main diet. They also tend to eat dead plants, as they provide extra nutrients and may cover the lack of nutrients they may receive from alive plants; However, Monterras Mammoths require little amount of nutrients to support themselves.
===Habitat===
Most subspecies of Monterras Mammoth live in wetlands, specifically boglands. They thrive in the cold, slightly below freezing environments of Monterras Islands. The low nutrient of the soil creates plants without many nutrients, so the Monterras Mammoth has had to adapt to the low nutrients. The subspecies M. m. piniensis, which lives in the Pinia (Boreal) Forest, thrives better in the boreal forest because of its adaptations to the slightly different environment. 
The Monterras Mammoth does not need to eat nearly as much food as other mammoths to meet its daily dietary requirements, as they've evolved to eat plants that provide less vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Their smaller size also plays a part in this. This means that the Monterras Mammoth does not overgraze, allowing the environment to stay balanced and healthy. They also help play a role in allowing other plants to grow, as they eat away the larger plants, leaving behind the smaller, younger plants to grow. They may also eat dead plants, which helps clean up the environment and helps prevent build-up of dead plants.
===Predation & Competition===
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==Conservation Status==
===Threats===
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===Distribution & Population===
Most of the population is distributed mostly evenly throughout wetlands in Monterras Island, with some distributed in the Pinia (Boreal) Forest. A small amount of the population is distributed at the north of the Addterras Isles. Population numbers in the wetlands of Monterras Island are estimated at around 4,500 (for the M. m. mainlandensis subspecies), 750 in Pinia (Boreal) Forest (for the M. m. piniensis subspecies), and 250 in the Addterras Isles (for the M. m. addterriensis subspecies), all in all, adding up to 5,500 total population.
Category:Species
Category:Fauna