Stretchskunik

The stretchskunik replaced its ancestor on Vivus. The difficult terrain of the polar regions of the island demanded the scaleskunik develop a better means of locomotion. Its legs now have an internal accordion-like lattice which allow them to stretch and shrink greatly. These long legs allow it to move through thick snows to reach food. Its head can also stretch to grab flora to eat. When resting (or threatened), it retracts its extremities into its hard shell. It only moves in short bursts throughout the day, storing up energy from photosynthesis before journeying onward. Like its ancestor, they migrate to the beaches to mate and lay their hard eggs in the sand.