quarantined. Several species on Vazzarc are deemed too deadly for transport. Travel on the planet's surface is highly hazardous to all sentient species. Despite the quarantine, big game hunters sometimes land on Vazzarc in hopes of bagging the ultimate predator. Smugglers sometimes brave a landing in hopes of collecting a few Zarg eggs for sale on the black market (for a hefty fee sometimes commanding upwards of 3 million credits apiece). The crime lord thir'nakk is thought to own several zargs and is said to feed them only with those who can't pay his generous loans. These bipedal nightmares are the epitome of the hunter. Chitinous armor covers the zarg's blue-purple to black hide. Despite their size, zargs are silent hunters are are masters of stealth in their natural environment. Bladelike claws extend from their upper digits, able to shred open prey (and also making climbing difficult if not impossible). Rows of razor sharp teeth fill the zarg's powerful mouth. New teeth grow in to replace those that are lost. A nocturnal hunter, the zarg's nightvision is excellent, even when the planet's three moons are below the horizon. Zargs are solitary hunters and shun other members of their species. They are vicious defenders of territory even to their own species. Only in Vazzarc's early spring do zargs seek each other out to mate. Mating is a painful process, especially for the female as the male holds her down with his fangs and claws. The male leaves soon after a successful mating. While the zarg may be the top predator on Vazzarc, several scavenger species present major danger to young zargs. The female will defend the eggs until they hatch. Once hatched, the baby zargs are able to hunt for themselves. Many hatchlings have been known to turn on their brethren for nourishment. Studies suggest that since the parents play no part in raising the young, that hunting is a learned experience. Zargs raised solely in captivity are nothing like those raised in the wild. A zarg was once found living in Babylon 5's Gray Sector. Raised in isolation and fed only what it could hunt in the artificial environment, the zarg was underdeveloped to the point of retardation. |
