#draceous

[dragonology101]

Myths and Misconceptions: Dragon "Fur"

Dragons exist in the same paradox as other animals like sharks—while they are well-studied, myths about them abound and are widely accepted by society, often to the detriment of the animal themselves. While I've briefly discussed the myth of fire-breathing and am planning to go into myths such as dragons being "man-eaters" and the myth about their ability to hypnotize their prey, today I'd like to talk about a less damaging dragon misconception: that dragons of the Draceous family have fur!

Previously considered to be in the family Pachysquamidae, we now know that Draceous dragons are their own separate family. One thing that makes them stand out is their manes and sensory whiskers. While the thin, closely-gathered fibers give the appearance of hair or fur, their manes actually made up of thousands of specialized feathers. These feathers most closely resemble those of Kiwis, a small flightless bird found in New Zealand, in that they lack afterfeathers/aftershafts (smaller down feathers which provide insulation to the body from the main feather shaft). Other feathered dragons, such as amphipteres, possess feathers more similar to those of other birds.

One common belief about Draceous dragon manes I can confirm, however, is that they're incredibly soft. Here's a closeup on the mane of a 12-year-old Whiskered River Dragon (Potamodraconis chinensis melavultus) I photographed at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, which has a fantastic dragon exhibit I highly recommend visiting:

Their sensory whiskers are also feathered. While on birds filoplume feathers are short—rarely measuring more than a few inches long even in the largest species—Draceous dragons have long ones running down their whiskers. These feathers are extremely sensitive and are used in much the same way cats use their whiskers or humans use their fingertips. Given the often dark aquatic habitat of many Draceous dragons, these filoplume-covered whiskers likely help guide them when visibility is low. Draceous dragons also have poor visibility close to their noses, and anything unfamiliar without a distinct scent is often investigated with rigorous whisker touching. Without filoplumes, they'd be both literally and metaphorically in the dark!

[dragonology101]

A very brief overview of dragon families (excluding the class Hydroserpenes, given the scientific debate about their inclusion within Draconidae) found in North America!

Wyrms (family Pachysquamidae) are wingless, four-limbed dragons with plantigrade feet, non-overlapping scales, and external ears.

True dragons (family Draconidae) are winged, six-limbed dragons with digitigrade feet, overlapping scales, and external ears.

Wyverns (family Bipodracodidae) are winged, four-limbed bipedal dragons with digitigrade feet, overlapping scales, and external ears.

Amphipteres (family Lepidoamphitidae) are two-limbed dragons with feathered wings, no legs beyond vestigial spurs, overlapping scales, and internal ears.

Only one dragon family is not represented in North America. Dragons in the family Draceous are exclusively found in Asia, North Africa, and Eastern Europe. They're distinguished by being wingless, four-limbed dragons with digitigrade feet, overlapping scales, and external ears. They were originally grouped under the family Pachysquamidae, but were split into their own family in the 1800s. I've been lucky enough to work with some captive specimens, and I may give them their own post even though they aren't included in my guide.

[dragonology101]

Myths and Misconceptions: "Man-eating" Dragons

One of the most common questions I get asked about my dragonology research is "How do you keep yourself from being eaten?" It's funny, but it reveals one of the biggest misconceptions about these amazing creatures—that they're evil, bloodthirsty, or attack humans out of a specific malice instead of self-defense or because of desperation. Which simply isn't true! Dragons are often incredibly intelligent (while Draceous species have the biggest reputations for intelligence, and are indeed some of the smartest dragons in the world, even the comparably-maligned Pachysquamids are overall quite smart and trainable), but they're as malicious in their attacks as any other animal would be.

That doesn't mean dragon attacks don't happen. You only need a quick google search to find a headline about someone being attacked by a dragon at a national park or while rock climbing. But to compare a few numbers... Per to National Geographic, there are roughly 16 shark attacks off North American coasts every year, typically with one or no fatalities each year (according to a study in 2005). The United States Geological Survey website states that 4-6 cougar attacks occur each year in Canada and the States, although I can't find when that study was performed. Large dragon attacks happen an average of 4 times per year in North America, with the last fatal dragon attack occurring in 2017.

Almost every dragon attack documented worldwide is not the result of an animal attempting to prey on a human but caused by the dragon viewing a human as a threat. Not every dragon species performs parental care toward their chicks, but like bears, some dragon species are fiercely protective over their young and will attack perceived threats to them or their nesting sites. Only one dragon species in North America attacks humans with any degree of regularity—the Steller's Wyvern (Orcinodraco leucorhino) is responsible for 82% of large dragon attacks in recorded North American history, and out of that 82% approximately 95% of attacks are caused by someone encroaching on a dragon's territory during nesting season. While it isn't the fault of those people for not knowing (I don't expect anyone but a seasoned dragonologist to know the breeding seasons of any given species offhand!) it does thoroughly demonstrate that dragon attacks aren't the result of malice or hunger. Even in the remaining 5% of dragon attack cases for Steller's Wyverns, attacks were performed by injured individuals attempting to find a source of food in a campsite and finding awake and startled humans instead.

There is another angle to this concerning smaller dragon species. Dragons are inherently fascinating to most, and as they adapt to urban areas there are more opportunities for humans and dragons to come into conflict with each other. As dragons become more used to scavenging for food from humans (several species of small wyvern and wyrm, for example, have become adept at hunting rats and pigeons as well as looting overturned garbage cans), they become more habituated and less timid. Small dragon attacks most reliably happen in cities because of this.

This kind of behavior isn't restricted to smaller species, however. A notable case of a fatal dragon attack in 2010 involved a Common Northern Dragon (Eurodraco terribilis borealis) in Alaska that became accustomed to being fed fish and scraps of meat by a local family. The dragon grew bold enough that it at one point trapped the family in their homes by scratching at the door to be let in, and when a neighbor came to help, it attacked and killed him. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game was able to euthanize it after a multi-day search, which was an unfortunate but predictable end that caused the case to make national headlines. Even in that instance, when clearly hungry and with fresh meat available in the form of the innocent neighbor, the dragon in question didn't attempt to eat the human it killed.

That doesn't mean it's impossible for a dragon to eat a human. It has happened, even if it isn't with any sort of frequency. A known incident in Europe (Southern Poland) involving another Eurodraco species (this time not the northern subspecies but simply Eurodraco terribilis) in 2008 involved the skeletal remains of a missing hiker being found in a dragon's lair by another group of hikers, with forensics later showing that the hiker had been killed and eaten by a dragon. But these incidents are scattered throughout centuries, not years or even decades. No dragon, not even the largest species, makes humans a regular prey, no matter what medieval manuscripts would lead you to believe.

While they shouldn't be irrationally feared, dragons are wild animals and should be treated as such. Take the same precautions you would take with any other animal, and never try to hand-feed or habituate dragons no matter how small or cute they might be. Enjoy them from a distance, and don't become another Yellowstone tourist who gets burned and bit by a wyrm because you tried to reach into a hot spring to pet it!