Modern Saiga

Domesticated during the God's reign of Diatatus, the Modern Saiga is a large antelope bred for food, hide, and horn. They are a form of wealth and a symbol of prosperity. They thrive in cold, dry steppe.

► Basics

Biology

Modern Saiga are a domesticated antelope that are bred for milk, hide, and meat. They can be found on all continents of Diatatus. They have characteristic noses, forming a small trunk on both sexes. This trunk features wide nostrils, perfect for dry environments. Their eyes are large and their eyesight good. Horns grow on both sexes, with males having slightly thicker ones. Coat colors are varied and quite colorful, featuring orange and blue tones.

Females have utters with 4 teats and produce a sweet, fatty milk if well fed. Butter and cheese varieties vary wildly with region. When butchered, their meat has a distinct game flavor with a mild sweetness. Fat from the hump and neck is often used to tie onto choice cuts. Horns are used for a variety of tools and decoration, and often more prized than bone for these tasks.

Morphology

Common color morphs and mutations that have been bred into modern saiga. (Numbered from top left to bottom right.)

1. Standard, the wild type morph of the saiga.

2. Harlequin, a spotted blue morph with darker outlines to the spots.

3. Overo, a spotted morph where white areas are centered away from the central lines of the animal.

4. Aardwolf, a darkly striped morph that has unique blue eyes.

5. Meadowlark, a highly sought after breed with 'shimmering' fur.

6. Red-Headed, the most expensive morph with very shiny, very sleek fur.

Range

75% of all Modern Saiga in Optera live within the red area. These are areas where saiga herding is the main source of income, as farming tends to be difficult in these regions. The southernmost area came about as a way to easily keep The Beetle God's wealth in one area. Nearly all red-headed saiga in Optera are located in this region.