Crocothera Amphimus: Ammut
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Family: | Felidae |
| Genera: | Crocothera |
| Species: | Amphimus |
A crocodile-lion-hippo hybrid that lives in a lake of fire in Osiris' underworld; she eats the hearts that weigh more than Ma'at, the feather of truth.
The Ammut
Despite its ferocious nature the Ammut cares for its young, which often stay with the mother for up to 3 years after birth. Gestation is approximately 9-10 months and only one cub is produced. Young are fiercely protected by the entire herd, which ranges in size from 3 to 15 members, not including cubs. After 3 years, however, the female cub becomes a member of the herd (although she does not mate for another 2 years) and the male cub generally leaves. A male cub may remain solitary for 2-5 years, during which time he seeks his own territory and attempts to steal females from the herds of other males.
Once a male has acquired at least 2 females he mates with them and settles down in his chosen territory, where his first cubs are born unless he is driven out. If a female bears the cubs of another male the leader of her herd does not kill the cubs as a lion would, but the cubs and the female are all but ostracized by the entire herd. If they survive the 3 years it takes for the cubs to grow to adulthood they are accepted back as members of the herd. In such a case, however, the female will often abandon her own cubs to return to the herd. In new mothers this can have damaging results as she may choose to abandon other cubs even if she is not forgotten by the leader of her herd. A good mother can be more dangerous when defending her cub than a male, but it is the males that do the most damage, mostly to each other. The battle for a female or herd usualy consists of the two males opening their jaws as wide as possible as they try to push the other’s chest. Whichever male closes his jaws first or turns his head away will often get bitten as the the winner’s jaws slam shut.
Territory & Feeding
The Ammut lives mostly in Egypt along the Nile, although it will travel many miles across the desert to find a mate or new territory. Despite it's hippopotamus-like hindquarters the Ammut is capable of traveling quickly, reaching speeds of up to 40 mph during short sprints.
Its powerful jaws can crush almost any prey, but like a crocodile or alligator the Ammut usually pins its prey under a tree root or beneath a rock underwater for a few days, to let it soften. Unlike the lion the Ammut doesn't rend its prey with its jaws due to its inability to move its lower jaw side-to-side. Instead, if it needs to eat immediately or the prey is soft enough it will shred the carcass with its claws in order to eat the flesh in strips.
Prey & Predator
Although relatively mild-mannered if left alone, the Ammut is known for its savage temper when its territory is invaded or its young are in even perceived danger. The animal preys on animals as small as rabbits and as large as water buffalo, but prefers water buffalo and wilderbeest.
Due to its size and strength, especially when enraged, the Ammut has few natural predators. Occasionally a pride of lions or a particularly hungry crocodile will attack an Ammut, but always with caution and never if there are Ammut young nearby. Generally, however, the Ammut is left largely to its own devices, even by humans.