| Shirshu | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Binomen | N/A | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Mammalian | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Non-Sapient | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Earth Kingdom | ||
| Diet | Carnivorous (presumed) | ||
| Locomotion | Quadrupedal | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | Avatar: The Last Airbender | ||
Shirshus are large, quadrupedal eyeless mammals native to the Earth Kingdom, where they're known for their tracking ability and their paralyzing tongue.
Biology[]
Shirshus are large creatures which can be used as mounts by humans. They look like eyeless opossums covered in shaggy brown fur. The tail is long and bushy, similar to that of a giant anteater, and the neck is proportionally long as well. Their paws are hairless and possess four toes equipped with powerful claws. They have pointed ears, sharp teeth, and a pink nose with fleshy projections, like that of a star-nosed mole. Their extrudable tongue delivers a paralyzing toxin upon contact. Victims usually stay paralyzed for several minutes. However, particularly large creatures, such as a Sky Bison may only be fully affected after several paralyzing shots.
A Shirshu's extraordinary olfactory sense more than compensates for its lack of eyesight. They can track people for kilometers after being exposed to their smell, and will be drawn to all places visited by that person in the last days or weeks. Only an extremely large concentration of strong odors, such as perfume, can disorient a Shirshu.
Cultural significance[]
Shirshus can be domesticated and are useful as tracking animals. Their paralyzing saliva is used to make shirshu-spit darts.