Freestian Sand Dragon

The Freestian Sand Dragon is the apex predator of the vast myriad of life in the great Freethinker deserts. One of, if not the greatest predator to have ever existed on Earth, these massive animals roam a habitat across the various desert plains and the foothills of the mountain ranges that border them, and can be found in significant populations in most environments apart from the great Eastern forests. It's sleek form and its powerful image have made it a distinctive icon of the great deserts it occupies and the Commonwealth itself.

Physiology

The most famous members of the Draconi family, these huge animals (both male and female) can grow up to a length of 120 feet (38 metres, including a long tail which can account for up to half of its length) and reach a wingspan approaching 150 feet (47 metres) or more. They stand up to twenty-two feet (6.5 metres) tall at the shoulder and weigh in at up to thirty metric tons (65,000 pounds).

Habitat

All Sand Dragons live an almost solitary existence after nursing, with females taking up a fixed range with the size depending upon the local avaliability of food and water. These ranges can incorporate thousands of square miles of territory but given the vast open ranges of the Freethinker Mainland there is little direct conflict with human encroachment. More major concerns for adult Sand Dragons are other predator species competing for avaliable food sources in the harsh desert, although often the result is that Sand Dragons will simply turn these opponents into new food sources for themselves.

Behaviour

Unlike most other members of the genus they are solely predatory carnivores, hunting alone and feeding mostly on the larger prey species in the deserts and shrubland. The most popular prey seems to be the larger herbivores of the Draconi family, Greyfoot Dragons, with wild Mustangs and Taur making up the bulk of the rest of their natural diet. Megaprimates are occasionally hunted but doing so involves risks of injury, with most encounters being territorial confrontations rather than actual predetation.

Sand Dragons have no natural predators, but their young are vulnurable to other desert predators whilst in the early stages of development. Basilisks are generally avoided, and are considered a match for a juvenile Sand Dragon in some circumstances. Human poaching is non-existant, and Sand Dragons have proven themselves more then capable of defending themselves even against well-equipped hunters. Hunting of the Sand Dragon is technically illegal unless the Department of Natural Affairs issues a special license for a particularly troublesome or violent individual. Despite the relatively low headcount (around ten thousand adult specimens currently in the wild), the actual population has remained relatively steady throughout the periods records have been kept.