Slopeback

Slopeback

Habitat: Long Island; Cove Haven Type: Large Herbivorous Mammal Height: 6 to 8 feet tall at shoulder Length: 12 to 14 feet long Weight: 1,500 to 2,000 pounds estimated

The Slopeback is one of the largest creatures in Cove Haven. It is a striking herbivore with a body reminiscent of a gorilla. Its long, powerful forelimbs end in large claws, which it uses skillfully to pull down branches and strip leaves. To protect those claws, it curls its fingers up and walks on its knuckles, similar to a great ape. The hindlimbs are shorter, giving the animal a characteristic sloped back. It moves deliberately and slowly through the wooded areas of Cove Haven, although it is capable of moving fairly quickly over short distances.








These animals are primarily solitary, although loose groups may occasionally form and dissolve as individuals move and feed. The Slopeback prefers the forest areas within the cove, where it can browse among the trees and bushes. Its diet consists almost entirely of leaves, twigs, and other soft vegetation, making it a critical part of the forest ecosystem by controlling plant growth and dispersing seeds.

While it is not aggressive, especially not compared to other creatures on the Floating Isles, the Slopeback can defend itself if cornered. It is capable of using its formidable claws to lash out at predators that come within reach. The dominant land predator in the Cove is the Sailhunter. Although it isn’t large enough to pose a threat to full-grown Slopeback, it will often target the vulnerable young. Occasionally, Broadhead will also pick off young Slopeback from the water’s edge. Mothers are especially vigilant against these smaller predators, and will use their sharp claws to fiercely defend their young.



Because of the comparative lack of major predators in Cove Haven, Slopeback young have a longer period of development after birth—something that is unusual among the creatures of the Floating Isles. Calves remain with the mother for an extended time, learning where to feed and how to pull branches down to their mouths. They grow slowly, gaining size and strength rather than relying on instinct alone, and are rarely forced into independence early. It is not uncommon to see a half-grown animal still shadowing its mother through the trees, keeping close as it feeds. 

  • Naturalist Note: The creature Daniel calls ‘Slopeback’ appears to be a type of chalicothere. These peculiar members of the Perissodactyl order were distant relatives of horses, tapirs, and rhinoceroses. Its unusual combination of long forelimbs and knuckle-walking is not seen in any other living perissodactyls, making this species especially remarkable. In Daniel's drawings, the Slopeback is shown with a small "thumb" digit on its hands. No known fossil chalicothere has this fourth digit, and it's not clear whether he was mistaken in that detail, or if this creature was unique among its family for possessing the extra digit.

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