Wildlife of Dzeia
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The Wildlife of the Dze Confederation consists of entirely unique lifeforms and climates perpetuated through complex climate patterns and evolutionary history. Over 100 climates entirely unique to this nation have been identified in the past years, ranging from the mediterranean Sunlands to subarctic Cloudspear Peninsula to the dry, arid Dlał̣ŋ́eç Desert.
About 40% of the land is covered in grassy steppes and plains, with a notable 45% being forested. Voiditen expeditions reported over 5,000 species of land animals, 10,000 plant-like species and an equal amount of aquatic species in a single year, all of which are only found in this area of the world, being part of the Polykariote-Eukariote Limes. The extreme climatic conditions of these lands has lended itself to a unique array of ecosystems and wildlife distribution.
Geography
Topography
The Zoogeographical distribution inside Dzeia is locked withing the P.E.L., however due to the millions upon millions of years of isolation, the biosphere of these lands is notoriously vast and rich, being one of the most biologically diverse areas of Sparkalia. Around 10% of the country is dry or desertic in nature, over 40% being forested and the rest being steppes, hills and mountainous with a decent percentage of water covering the land and unique floral distributions that merge in the habitat borders, specially in areas such as the Lat highlands or the Sunlands to the west.
Water resources
Due to the greater and western mountain ranges that almost divide the country in two in some areas, the drainage goes either to the south, crossing through the P.E.L. into the Hitherlands or into the Wintry Ocean and Bight, due to the divide created by these mountains, however, all rivers drain into the ocean eventually. An interesting effect caused by the Fjord massif however is that most rivers in the east drain inland, creating a massive expanse of lakes and inner seas that lead from steppe to heavily forested the further east you travel.
The most famous river is the Great Southern One, which originates at the far south-east of the great mountain range and moves westwards, marking the border of the P.E.L., until reaching the western edges of the Wintry ocean. Lakes in the country are both saline and fresh depending where they may be found, with most fresh water lakes being found near glacial areas in the mountains and those recieving drain from glacial rivers, while saline lakes are almost exclusively found in the south.
Climate
Due to the Bight High, an anticyclone formation widespread in the areas surrounding the Wintry bight, the climate of Dzeia is mostly cold year round, with the humidity depending on the amount of rainfall recieved, with an average national temperature of 14°C, reaching a minimum of -52°C in some areas, while the southern deserts can reach upwards of 28°C on average, the highest recorded temperature being 41°C. Many areas in the country have temperature variations of up to 30° Celsius in a single day, the highest one being recorded in the Dlał̣ desert at -19°C and 32°C in the summer.
Precipitation
Rain and snowfall in the country are distributed in an un-even pattern, with the lowest precipitation being registered in the far interior at only 97mm while the Cloudspear peninsula can have upwards of 630mm of precipitation annually. There ae on average 103 to 182 sunny days depending on the region of the country and there are regions in the mountains with permanent ice and snow covering, which extends into the steppes during the winter months, however most animals and plantlife have evolved to adapt to the harsh, swift changes in climate.
Flora
The plantlife inside the P.E.L. is entirely comprised of species belonging to the Florapsidae kingdom, of which the most famous are the Lii, a word borrowed from Old Dze meaning tree, of these there are two branches, smooth and roughbark trees. There are also the Lawin, a word meaning flower, and several species of tintweed which proliferate in all but the coldest of areas, specially in the meadows. In the north, between Cloudspear peninsula and the Western meadows there is a continuous cover of forestland, around 400,000km2 in size, known as the Lii expanse.
In the steppes it's most common to see various species of Rootgrass, a plan akin to wild grass with massive root complexes that also help prevent mass desertification; in the more desertic areas however only drought-resistant shrubs manage to consistently hold outside river bed areas.
Fauna
There are over 500 different species of Trimetrodontrids (Mammal-like beings), thrice that amount of Saurognathids (lizard-like) and an equal amount of Aveformes (bird-like) spread across the lands of the Confederation.
Trimetrodontids
A class of animals akin or equivalent to mammals, they are often plumed or covered in fur and there have been many a species described of this grouping, the most famous being the Lequn, the Greathorn, the Greatmane and the Royal scaledmane. Most trimetrodontids live in the northern and southern areas of the country, however several species inhabit the westlands as well, the lowest concentration of species of this class being in the more desertic areas.
Saurognathids
Equivalent to reptilia, this clade of animals are usually scaled and feathered, inhabiting vast swaths in all regions of the country and filling many ecological niches. The more well-known saurognathids are the River bonejaw, the Red-eyed ngun and the Greater switftail. They are specially diverse in the southern and eastern portions of the P.E.L. with several habitats having up to a hundred different species coexisting in one place.
Aveformids
A class of animals mostly capable of flight, of these the most famous are the species belonging to the Thulanaxidae family, the rayhawks. Most aveformids are native and migrate in-between areas of the P.E.L., however some have been seen migrating further south in occassion.
Aquatic life
Most aquatic life in the oceans, rivers and lakes of the confederation belongs to the clade Pseriformida, which encompasses a whole array of aquatic creatures; with over 10,000 different species catalogued, most, just like Aveformids, are small-scale migratory animals, though a few groups of megafauna have been spotted migrating as far as the ocean currents near the Nishi Sea.
Threats and Conservation
Although extremely isolated and closed off from the rest of the world, in the recent years a number of isolated incidents involving illegal poaching have caused minor disturbances in areas frequented by foreigners, however the Dze themselves have made work to stop it whenever possible. There has also been widespread ecological damage in areas formerly inhabited by massive human entities, which tried to bring wildlife from outside the P.E.L.
