"You should never run from a dunkbear, but if you must, never, ever run towards the water."

Dunkbear

These large mammals have thick, stocky bodies and faces that resemble that of a bear, but with shorter, pudgier features. Despite their name and this resemblance, they actually share no relation to bears at all, and are in fact more closely related to otters. Their fur is a deep, dark brown and shares the dense, waterproof qualities unique to otters.

Dunkbears are solitary creatures, often choosing a portion of river or lake as their territory. Males will only venture outside of their territory during the summer months to find mates before returning shortly before autumn begins. It is rare to see a female dunkbear with cubs, as they quickly grow up over the course of a year and leave their mothers to seek out their own territory.

To catch prey, dunkbears will employ a special tactic called “dunking.” They will dive deep beneath the water, propelling themselves downward and onto their prey. The force of the dunk usually kills instantly once  hitting the river or lakebed. If the water is too deep, and the prey does not reach the bed, the dunkbear will use its short claws to finish it off. Dunkbears will also prey upon larger terrestrial animals, such as deer, by chasing them into their waters and dunking them. If the prey is not killed immediately, the dunkbear may even hold it underwater until it drowns. Travellers must be extremely careful should they accidentally wander into dunkbear territory, as they are very territorial and will attack, chase, and dunk intruders that they see as threats.

Written by ShinyBlue and Electric, contributions from Reedie and Book