• There are no dinosaurs of any type in this ecosystem nor are there large reptiles such as alligators or crocodiles. The weather simply is not warm and wet enough for these creatures. There are turtles, snakes, and lizards but nothing gigantic. Also, manatees require tropical water temperatures so they will not be in the ocean or rivers near River Twine.

• There are no Arctic Circle animals such as polar bears or walruses. It is just not cold enough for these animals even during the winter months. There are shaggy bison-like animals, timber wolves, and caribou in the icy area above the Guardian Mountains but that area is not cold enough for polar bears or walruses either. • There are no jungle animals such as gorillas or monkeys.

• River Twine doesn’t have African animals such as elephants, zebra, ostriches, hyenas, or wildebeest. Camels and the ElfQuest canon offshoot, the zwoot, are creatures which thrive in dry areas are not appropriate to this ecosystem either. There are big cats in River Twine but not African lions, cheetahs, or tigers.

• Australian animals like kangaroos, koala bears, or platypuses are too different from the other animals in our ecosystem to have evolved side-by-side. Therefore they will not be included.

• There are some creatures, such as penguins, which can only thrive in areas where they have no real predators. So penguins will not be making appearances in the Holt either.

• There are many deep sea creatures that exist in the waters off the Holt’s coast. However, unless it’s a creature that also comes to the surface, our elves have no true experience with them. They haven’t seen living specimens of shark, squid, jellyfish, and deep sea fish. Once in a while, dead animals will wash up on shore but that would be the extent of the elves knowledge of these animals.

• While we are dealing with a community of elves, which are relegated to the world of fantasy, other fantastical creatures do not make River Twine their home. Therefore you will not see unicorn, dragons, chimera, kobolds, gnomes, centaurs, or anything of that persuasion.

• River Twine's world should not be assumed to have the same mix of elf tribes/groups found in EQ canon (Gliders, Sun Folk, etc.). The River Twine tribe's legends (based on fact) imply that there may be other elves out there in the world, since this tribe was formed by splitting off from another group. But, our elves do not know anything about other elf groups or their locations, and cannot even be sure that other elves still survive elsewhere..

If there are any animals that are not listed here but not on the list of animals included in the Holt, feel free to contact the Council at council@rivertwine.com for a ruling. Please use common sense in your requests, though. This ecosystem is based on the mid-North American forest and plains.