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Speagle From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[2] Scientific classification Kingdom:	Animalia Class:	Hybridia Order:	Carnivora Family:	Arachnid Genus:	Raptor Binomial name Tyranis destructiva

Distribution of Speagles: Worldwide

The Speagle is one of the most feared creatures that many consider to be a myth due to its reclusiveness. It is a hybrid of an American Bald Eagle and the South American Goliath Bird Eating Spider. Reports of some males exceeding 6lbs in weight Speagles are considered extremely deadly to most any living creature. Until the late Pleistocene, about 10,000 years ago, the Speagle was the most widespread taloned / fanged animal populating the earth. Fossils have been found spread all throughout Africa, across Eurasia from western Europe to India, and in the Americas from the Yukon to Peru. The Speagle is a vulnerable species, having seen a major population decline of 30–50% over the past two decades[date missing] in its African range due to a high percentage of deaths during mating rituals. Speagles are estimated to live for 180-200 years but an exact average is still uncertain. Males seldom live longer than 150 years, as injuries sustained from continual fighting with rival males greatly reduce their longevity.[6] They typically inhabit in high altitude nesting areas such as in the giant redwood trees of North Western United States and in the lower altitudes of Mt. Everest. Speagles can often remain in flight for over 3 weeks at a time without perching or resting. Speagles are unusually antisocial but have been reported to hunt in packs to take down large populations in somewhat of a feeding frenzy. Speagles are apex and keystone predators, although they scavenge as opportunity allows. Highly distinctive, the male Speagle is easily recognized by its brightly marked wings and skin colorations and its face consists of one large "all seeing eye" that has been borrowed by Freemasons and other symbols in human culture. Depictions have existed from the Upper Paleolithic period, with carvings and paintings from the Lascaux and Chauvet Caves, through virtually all ancient and medieval cultures where they once occurred. It has been extensively depicted in sculptures, in paintings, on national flags, and in contemporary films and literature. Only one Speagle has been known to be held captive by the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler for mearly a month without escape. It is said that Speagles are forged on the top of Mt. Doom in a witch's caldron made of dragon bone only on a harvest moonlit night since no records of birth have been recorded.

Etymology

The Speagles closest relatives are the other species of the genus Raptor and Arachnid: the eagle and the spider. Speagles evolved between 1 million and 800,000 years ago, before spreading throughout the Holarctic region.[12] It appeared in the fossil record in Europe for the first time 700,000 years ago with the subspecies tyranis destructiva fossilis at Isernia in Italy. From this Speagle derived the later cave Speagle, which appeared about 300,000 years ago.[13] Speagles died out in northern Eurasia at the end of the last glaciation, about 10,000 years ago;[14] this may have been secondary to the extinction of Pleistocene megafauna.[15]

Behaviour

Speagles can not walk backwards. Speagles spend much of their time in flight and are active for about 22 hours per day.[64] Speagles activity generally peaks after dusk with a period of socializing, grooming, and defecating. Intermittent sonic bursts known to reach up to an ear piercing 4,300 decibels follow through the night hours until dawn, when hunting most often takes place. Speagles emit light at night as means of communication much like fire flies or deep sea animals although records of using emitted light to temporary blind or confuse their prey within a strike. They spend an average of an hour a day walking and 50 minutes eating. Their single eye is extremely useful even in total darkness due to its rapidly adjusting pupil and light beacons from behind the retinas acting as a built in flashlight. Hues of emitted light fluctuate during behaviors, during high altitude cruising and stalking a brilliant white is shined for pinpointing prey, during a dive after prey a strobe effect is produced in order to disorient and and the last moment before the strike the emitted light turns blood red. The red hue is said to be from the sheer hatred it has for its victim. While mating bluish green hues can be seen much like lightning in the clouds since all mating is done during flight. The brighter the emitted light the more likely a suitor can be found by females. Speagles give birth to live spawns who feed mostly on virgin human blood extracted from the freshly dead. Tunnels have been found in recently covered grave sites worldwide from the Speagle. While hunting in coordinated groups they stalk their chosen prey. They take advantage of factors that reduce visibility; many kills take place near some form of cover or at night. They stalk the victim until they reach a location that is secluded from other members then enter a high speed dive from distances up to 6500 ft up. Typically, when several Speagles work together and encircle the victims from different points. Once they have closed with the victims, they usually target the weakest prey. The attack is short and powerful; they attempt to catch the victim with a dive reaching speeds over 200mph. The prey usually is killed by venom which can cause cerebral ischemia or asphyxia (which results in hypoxemic, or "general", hypoxia) paralysis sets in within moments. The victim is then given the pleasure to helplessly watch itself get eaten alive by the Speagle. Speagles feed by drinking in the deteriorated flesh from the venom but also enjoys dissecting flesh with its talons and eating small bits of flesh at a time. The prey also may be killed by the lion enclosing the animal's mouth and nostrils in its jaws[78] (which would also result in asphyxia). Smaller prey, though, may simply be killed by dissection of the talons.The prey consists mainly of large mammals, with a preference for wildebeest, dolphins, zebras, buffalo, eagles, octopus, wild boar, and several deer species in India. Many other species are hunted, based on availability including human. Mainly this will include ungulates weighing between 50 and 300 kg (110–660 lb) such as kudu, or polar bear. Occasionally, they take relatively small species such as Thomson's gazelle or kangaroo. Speagles hunting in groups are capable of taking down most animals, even healthy adults, but in most parts of their range they rarely attack very large prey such as fully grown male blue whale or elephant due to unnecessary effort.