Stepa Safido

Stepa Safido are sheep like creatures that have incredible color and pattern variations. They were released suddenly on July 10th, 2023 and were Mizuchi's debut release. They can be found in the capsule cupboard and in the Genome Splicer.

In lore, the species was discovered by Suzuki Thurmichai during a solo expedition, and data was asked to be submitted to Marsh Nook, who assisted Suzuki in data organization.

## Growth

### Capsule

"The soft warmth emanating from this rainbow capsule has an oddly lulling effect."

### Juvenile

"While at first a bit shy and timid, as this juvenile grows, it becomes curious about its surroundings as well as quite social. It often spends hours frolicking with other young Stepa Safidos, though never wandering too far from its dam’s flock. Even before being weaned, it will nibble at whatever plants its mother is grazing on, spitting out anything that it does not like. When raising Stepa Safidos in a laboratory environment, care must be taken when handling them, as they may mistake loose lab coats as fluttering leaves and attempt to chew on the fabric."

### Adult

"The remarkably colorful wool of Stepa Safidos provides camouflage in their unusually vivid environs, a wide and grassy steppe nestled in the crook of a tall mountain range. Vibrant wildflowers and many-hued grasses offer bountiful food for these usually placid creatures. Female Stepa Safidos tend to form flocks of between seven and twelve ewes, while males are more solitary in nature and wander among flocks, especially during their mating season. Head-butting behavior has been observed between males when females are in heat and may last for hours, though horned individuals have a great advantage. Lambs stay close to their mother for the first few months after birth, then as they begin to wean, they start to form their own flocks. Although flocks often share similar characteristics in terms of wool color and patterns, the incredible genetic diversity of this species leads to noticeable differences when observing flocks found in different areas of the steppe. Wandering males help contribute to this variety, and new flocks may appear quite different from that of their dams."

### Extra Info

#### Docile Not Dull

"Despite not being domesticated, Stepa Safidos are surprisingly gentle if not provoked. This makes obtaining wool samples relatively easy, and full shearing is even possible with particularly calm individuals. They also show surprising intelligence, and care must be taken to avoid any unexpected escapades on the behalf of those being kept for study."

#### Whimsical Wool

"Not only is Stepa Safido wool surprisingly soft once washed and carded, but its naturally vibrant colors make it incredibly useful for weaving cloth, spinning yarn, and creating other wool products without the need for dyes. Some scientists, including Soza Starrs, have already begun experimenting with this new fiber and are excited to share their results."

#### Rainbow Ride

"Stepa Safidos can grow rather large thanks to the abundant food supply in their natural habitat, and due to their docile nature, it has occurred to some enterprising individuals that riding them might be possible. Large males are certainly strong enough to carry an adults weight, and some experiments with using them for pack animals have been conducted already. However, anyone seeking to actually ride on one of these creatures should be cautious and spend plenty of time working with the animal and training them before attempting it. Those curious about such endeavors may contact Suzuki Thurmichai for related research."

## Variations

### Pattern B

*All other genes do not produce a visual change for this trait.*

### Pattern A

*All other genes do not produce a visual change for this trait.*

### Rear Mane

*All other genes do not produce a visual change for this trait.*

### Front Mane

*All other genes do not produce a visual change for this trait.*

### Head

*Body color determines the color of the markings.*

### Eartufts

*All other genes do not produce a visual change for this trait.*

## References

1. ↑ *Forum post by Corteo, OUTPOST#1 - BULLETIN #181;* https://forum.finaloutpost.net/showthread.php?tid=1395