User:Brat32/Blubbit

A blubbit is a fictional animal that is said to be native to Mexico and Central America. Like the mythological creature, the griffin, a blubbit is made up of other real-life animal parts. A blubbit has the body of a warthog, the trunk of an elephant, and its tail has a rattler at the end of it, like a rattlesnake.

Discovery
The blubbit species was discovered in Central Mexico near the city of Aguascalientes in the early 1980's. First belived to be a mutated pig, it was soon learned that the blubbit was an entirely different species altogether. Explorers, Brian McClure and Christian Poling, first caught a glimpse of the creature on the outskirts of Aguascalientes while they were investigating an odd vegetation growth in the area. The two gave this blubbit a fitting Mexican name, Miguel. They spent the next three weeks observing blubbits and their habits before returning to the United States with Miguel. As blubbits are rather large (and unruly at times when they're hungry), Miguel had to be given an elephant tranquilizer before loading him up for the states.

Physical Appearance and Mannerisms
As mentioned earlier, the blubbit has a warthog's body, an elephant's trunk, and a rattlesnake's tail. What was not mentioned was their enormous size. A mature, adult blubbit can weigh close to 1,500 pounds. They tend to grow quickly and become obese faster than most animals. This can be attributed to their diet, which not surprisingly, is made up of many fats. They do have the tusks of the warthog which can prove dangerous to predators or other blubbits during mating season. Their color is a fleshy, human tone, and their jowls or patatas are usually very full and resemble a large sack of pink jelly. The eyes of the blubbit remain very squinty, almost as if they are closed. This is most likely due to years of evolving in the Mexican sun. When born, a blubbit offspring (also called a timothy) has a greyish hue to his skin. The pink, fleshy color does not appear until he becomes a yearling.

Blubbits are slow moving, sometimes aggressive animals. Usually docile unless provoked, blubbits don't like to be touched or made to move. This is when a blubbit can become dangerous. When antagonized, blubbits growl much like an overweight dog would and they do something unique - they begin to furiously shake the rattle on the end of their tail. This is to warn any predators that they mean business. The blubbit's rattle is not only used to fend off predators, it also serves as the blubbit's mating call. When a male blubbit is ready to breed, he shakes his tail to attract the female (a kneeter). Blubbits usually only breed once or twice a year as it is a very taxing activity on an animal that is not used to a lot of movement.

Social Structure
A grouping of blubbits is called a sounder. Common blubbit sounders are usually composed of 3 to 10 animals, although groups as large as 30 have been anecdotally reported. The "core" of the sounder is usually a kneeter with offspring. A sounder can be composed of multiple females and their respective timothies, and females tend to stay with their family group for several breeding seasons.

On the other hand, males tend to live alone or in small bachelor groups with individuals that come and go, but they tend to stay within their natal range. Mature males only join female groups when kneeters are in heat. Males are not territorial, but will fight among themselves for mating opportunities during breeding season, sometimes inflicting significant and serious wounds with tusks.

Longevity
Wild blubbits can live up to 18 years. Captive blubbits may live as long as 30 years. The typical gestation period is 5 or 6 months and the litter size is 2 to 8 timothies, although 2 to 4 is more typical. Timothies are weaned at 3 or 4 months of age, reaching sexual maturity at 18 to 24 months. Females may give birth twice a year.

Other
It is believed that in Mexico and Central America, over 30,000 blubbits once roamed in the hot sun. Sadly, that number has fallen drastically. Now, most blubbits live in captivity, with less than 400 still alive today.

The most famous blubbit, Miguel, who was discovered in Mexico over 20 years ago is still alive today. His handler, Patrick Poling, maintains that Miguel has become very tame in his later years and now even allows humans to rub his jowl - something that would have been unheard of in the wild.