Sheeta

(SHEE-tah)

The beautiful, elegant sheeta is a common sight in its native home of the Sacred Lands, where it has served as a pack animal since the land was settled. With its large, flat hooves and heat- and sand-resistant coat, it's easy to see why the sheeta feels just at home in the desert as a torrent does in a clean pool of water.

Sheetas are small and sturdy, standing just around 3 1/2-4 ft (1-1.2m) and weighing 175-250lbs (79-113kg) which makes them the perfect size to be miniature beasts of burden. Although they are too small for grown adults to ride, many a child has had their first jaunt on the back of a sheeta, as they are quite calm animals with a gentle gait! With a strong work ethic, they do love to have a task to do, whether it's pulling a cart or helping plow a garden. In fact, sheeta domestication first came about from the need to have animals that could pull carts over the desert sand.

Wild sheetas live in the open desert, and a group of sheetas is known as a twilight - due to their nature of coming out in the cool of night to play. The horns tend to be similar sizes between the sexes, and while they are generally a peaceful species, they will occasionally spar - and not always playfully. Males and females will often be found in equal numbers in the wild, and there seems to be no rhyme or reason to mating. Sheetas have a long gestation period of nearly 18 months, and will generally give birth to just one baby at a time, known as a shetling. Shetlings will stay close to their mother for the first year of life, though they quickly learn the ways of the twilight and will be playing under the stars before long. They are herbivores, eating desert grasses and bushes as well as grains, though they generally won't say no to the occasional bug that ends up in their meals.

Pet sheetas are just as carefree as their wild counterparts, and they make truly wonderful companions. They do not need as much space as one would think, though a large yard with protecting shade is a must, and they are best kept busy, or their curious natures will get them into trouble! Giving them chores to do keeps them happy, and they are the ideal pet for families with young children.