Estimerbaras

Estimerbaras are a genus of medium-sized, herbivorous mammals described in the fictional biogeography of the Estimer Archipelago. They are commonly depicted in world-building literature and serve as a case study of wetland-adapted ungulates. The genus currently comprises two described species, with ongoing debate about subspecies status.

They have stout bodies, short legs, and a broad, flexible snout used to root and pluck vegetation from marsh margins. Fur is short and dense, typically gray-brown with faint dorsal stripe. The feet are partially webbed in aquatic individuals, aiding movement in boggy habitats. Dentition is bunodont and suited to grasses and aquatic plants.

Taxonomically, Estimerbaras are placed in the fictional family Estimeridae, order Artiodactyla. The two described species are Estimerbaras orientalis and Estimerbaras occidentalis; some authorities recognize a third, unnamed subspecies in central Estimer wetlands.

Estimerbaras are endemic to the Estimer Archipelago, where they inhabit freshwater wetlands, riverine forests, and seasonally flooded meadows. They form scattered habitats with dense vegetation and shallow water, which provide forage and predator protection.

Social groups range from 6 to 40 individuals, led by an alpha pair or a matriarchal group. They are diurnal, feeding mainly on grasses, reeds, and submerged plants. They communicate with low-frequency vocalizations and tail signaling.

Females give birth to a single calf after a gestation of about six to seven months and often nurse for several months; juveniles disperse gradually as groups age.

As a fictional genus, Estimerbaras have no formal conservation status outside of narrative contexts.