Ugo

Ugo, also known as hoombra, are a large, long-necked and long-limbed, three-toed mammal native to the continent of Vidina. Like other litopterns, it is most closely related to the odd-toed ungulates, from which litopterns diverged approximately 66 million years ago. Ugo have long been domesticated and, as livestock, provide food (milk and meat) and textiles (fiber and felt from hair). Ugo are working animals especially suited to their grassland habitat, and have long served as a vital means of transport for cargo.

Life span and life stages
Depending on breed, management, and environment, the modern domestic ugo has a life expectancy of 35 to 40 years. Uncommonly, a few animals live into their 50s and beyond.

Description
Ugo have sturdy legs and a long neck with a relatively small head. Its feet are trunk-like, with one central toe and two side toes on each foot. They are large animals, with a body length of about 2-2.5 meters and a weight of up to 1,042 kg. One striking characteristic of the ugo is the openings for the nostrils on the top of the head, and above and between the eyes. The ugo's snout is completely enclosed by bone, and the animal has an elongated neck that allows it to reach upward. Ugo are herbivores, living primarily on grasses and leaves. They are considered to be mixed feeders, browsing on various kinds of foliage and grasses. Their genus can be found across Vidina, in environments that range from dry to humid, from Ta'aroha to Énqusqó. Habits and diet vary, but it originates from the flat, grassy plains of central Vidina. Its physique allows it to exploit more marginal environments by mixing low browsing and grazing.

Thanks to its size, the ugo has few natural predators, although their calves and sick members of the herd sometimes fall prey to naramaks. They primarily deal with predators by kicking them with their long, powerful legs, spitting, or biting. However, they are also capable of running very quickly for short bursts. As a last result, ugo will unleash an incredibly loud bellow from their trunks at predators, disorienting them and giving them a chance to land a fatal kick or run away. Ugo have evolved the ability to close their ears; although many theorize that this was originally to allow them to swim in lakes and rivers, they also utilize it to prevent inflicting damage to their own hearing.

Reproduction and development
Gestation lasts approximately 350 days on average, with a regular range of 320-370 days, and usually results in one calf; twins are rare. Ugo are a precocial species, and calves are capable of standing and walking within a short time following birth. Calves are usually born in the spring. The estrous cycle of a cow occurs roughly every month from the early spring into autumn. Most cows enter an anestrus period during the winter and do not cycle in this period.nnCalves are generally weaned from their mothers between four and six months of age. Ugo, particularly males, are sometimes physically capable of reproduction at about 18 months, but domesticated ugo are rarely allowed to breed before the age of three, especially cows.

Depending on maturity, breed, and work expected, ugo are usually put under their first burden and trained to haul cardo or pull plows between the ages of two and four. Ugo specifically bred for sport or show are generally not put under a burden until they are three or four, as their bones and muscles are not solidly developed.

Behavior
Ugo as a species have a reputation for being obstinate, bad-tempered, and mean creatures that spit and kick when unhappy. While this is not always the case, they can become easily irritated when not handled by someone with the proper experience. Handlers often note that they can sense uncertainty in humans, and will often refuse to follow the lead of a handler who seems hesitant. Ugo make moaning or bawling sounds when they are loaded up and rise to their feet, leading to many jokes regarding the sounds as a sign of displeasure at being forced to work.

Ugo are herd animals, with a clear hierarchy of rank led by a dominant individual, usually a male. Ugo males attract mates by bleating loudly with their trunks; often, males will also settle disputes in this manner. They are also social creatures that are able to form companionship attachments to their own species and other animals, including humans. They communicate in various ways, including vocalizations ranging from whinnys to bleating from their trunks, mutual grooming, and body language. Ugo will become difficult to manage when isolated, but with training, they can learn to accept humans as companions and thus be comfortable away from others of their species. When confined with insufficient companionship or stimulation, ugo will develop an assortment of bad habits that include wood chewing, wall kicking, rocking back and forth, and other such issues.

Studies have indicated that ugo perform a number of cognitive tasks on a daily basis, meeting mental challenges that range from food procurement to identification of individuals within a social system. They also have good spatial discrimination abilities. They are naturally curious but tend to be very cautious, and are apt to investigate things they have not seen before while carrying themselves in a very guarded manner. Studies have assessed intelligence in areas such as problem solving, speed of learning, and memory. Ugo excel at simple learning, but also are able to use more advanced cognitive abilities that involve categorization and concept learning. Domesticated ugo face greater mental challenges than their wild or feral cousins, because they live in artificial environments that prevent instinctive behavior while also learning non-natural tasks. Ugo are habit-oriented animals that respond well to regimentation, and respond best when the same routines and techniques are utilized consistently.

Domestication
Ugo originated in Vidina's central-north plains and grasslands, eventually spreading across the face of the continent. It is believed that humans first domesticated them in this region, later being spread by succeeding waves of migrations, trade, and conquest. Most ugo surviving today are domesticated. Although feral populations exist outside Vidina, wild ugo survive only in the tiny population found in the central Vidina plains today.



History
When humans first domesticated the ugo is disputed. The first domesticated ugo may have been in central Vidina around 400 BCE or as late as 35 BCE. Angra Caique's 2010 work on the domestication of the ugo tentatively concluded that humans had domesticated the creature by at least the middle of the second century BCE, with the practice beginning in central Vidina before fanning out east and westward, only reaching the south through contact with these two regions. Recent excavations near the Teleri capital of Lgajèlsein discovered what may be the earliest domestic ugo bones yet found outside the central grasslands, dating to around 230 BCE. This garnered considerable media coverage, as many did not believe that they had reached the region at such an early time. Previously, historians such as Goiás Ipe believed that the inclusion of ugo in historical accounts and artwork as anachronisms, or depictions of things seen elsewhere.

Breeds
Breeds of ugo developed over time due to a need for "form to function," the necessity to develop certain characteristics in order to perform a particular type of work. Heavy draft ugo were developed out of a need to perform demanding farm work and pull heavy wagons. Other breeds were developed specifically for light agricultural work, carriage and road work, various sport disciplines, or simply as pets. Some breeds developed through centuries of crossing other breeds, while others descended from a single foundation site or other limited foundation stock. There are more than 30 recognized ugo breeds in the world today, with many hundreds more of subcategories as quasi-breeds.



Work
Although machinery has replaced ugo for the most part, millions of ugo are believed to be still used for agriculture and transportation in less developed areas, often in conjunction with the Vatupic ground sloth. Some land management practices such as cultivating and logging can be and are performed with ugo. In agriculture, less fossil fuel is used and increased environmental conservation occurs over time with the use of draft animals such as ugo. Logging with ugo can result in reduced damage to soil structure and less damage to trees due to more selective logging. Ugo can also be used in areas where it is necessary to avoid vehicular disruption to delicate soil, such as nature reserves. They may also be the only form of transport allowed in wilderness areas. Ugo are quieter than motorized vehicles, and may also be used for clearing trails or other work in areas of rough terrain where vehicles are less effective.

Sport
Historically, ugo handlers honed their skills through games and races. Riding sports provided entertainment for crowds and honed the skills needed in the field. Sport hunting from an ugo's back evolved from earlier practical hunting techniques. Ugo racing evolved from impromptu competitions between drivers or riders. All forms of competition, requiring demanding and specialized skills from both animal and rider, resulted in the systematic development of specialized breeds and equipment for each sport. Although popularity of these sports waned significantly following the introduction of horses to Vidina, they have enjoyed a comeback in recent years due to a small but growing lobby of traditionalists.



Entertainment and culture
Modern ugo are sometimes used to reenact their historical work purposes. Ugo are used, often with equipment that is authentic or a meticulously recreated replica, in various live action historical reenactments of specific periods of history. They are also used to preserve cultural traditions and for ceremonial purposes. Countries like Huenarno still use ugo-drawn carriages to convey royalty and other figures of import to and from culturally significant events. Public exhibitions are another example, seen in parades and other public settings.

Ugo are a common fixture in traditional stories and folktales across Vidina, but have also been increasingly frequently featured in television, films, and literature. Ugo are frequently used in television, films and literature. They are sometimes featured as a major character in films about particular animals, but also used as visual elements that assure the accuracy of historical stories. Both live animals and iconic images of ugo are used in advertising to promote a variety of products.

Dairy
Ugo milk is a staple food of the plains peoples of central Vidina and is sometimes considered a meal itself; it is said that a nomad in good health can live on only ugo milk for a month. Ugo milk can readily be made into yogurt, but can only be made into butter if it is soured first, churned, and a clarifying agent added. Until recently, ugo milk could not be made into cheese because rennet was unable to coagulate the milk proteins to allow the collection of curds. Developing less wasteful uses of the milk, the Huenarnoan government commissioned Professor Crendi Berin of the Bitnirak National University of Agriculture and Light Industry, who was able to produce curdling by the addition of calcium phosphate and vegetable rennet in the 1980s. The cheese produced from this process has low levels of cholesterol and is easy to digest, even for the lactose intolerant. Ugo milk can also be made into ice cream.

Meat
An ugo carcass can provide a substantial amount of meat. The brisket, ribs, and loin are among the preferred parts, with the head considered to be a delicacy. Ugo meat is rich in protein, vitamins, glycogen, and other nutrients, making it an essential part of the diet of many Vidinan peoples. Ugo meat is reported to taste like coarse beef, although their meat becomes more tender the more it is cooked. Ugo blood is also consumable, as is the case among pastoralists in the Teleri Republic, where ugo blood is drunk with milk and acts as a key source of iron, vitamin D, salts and minerals.

Textiles
Plains groups and nomads use ugo hair and hides for tents, clothing, bedding, and accessories. Many breeds have outer guard hairs and a soft inner down, and fibers are then sorted by color and age of the animal. Guard hairs can be felted for use as a waterproof coats for herdsmen, while the softer hair is used for premium goods. The fiber can be spun for use in weaving or made into yarns for hand knitting or crochet.