Often referred to as "the marsupial griffin" or "the pouched griffin," the garrinna is proof that Nature does not abandon a form that works, no matter how different the underlying biology may be. The garrinna's scientific name, Ochigrypas gilaa, means, roughly, "noisy bird that isn't a griffin." When European colonists arrived in Australia, they found flocks of garrinna waiting for them, and promptly began killing them for their feathers, fur, and meat. Thus did the garrinna follow the path of so much of Australia's native wildlife.
Because garrinna live very far away and have not as yet become established in the Americas, we have had very little opportunity for study. The few specimens to have been imported have not lived long after escaping into the wild. It was an encounter between Alice Price-Healy and one of these escaped specimens in 1954 which led to the garrinna's inclusion in this field guide.
The natural range of the garrinna has been dramatically reduced since the European colonization of Australia, and there is a chance that they may have become extinct. This would be a pity; the garrinna is a dramatic example of evolution working to repeat an earlier success, and its loss would be felt deeply by the cryptozoologists of the world...but probably more deeply by the garrinna itself.
BIOLOGY
Like all known griffin-form cryptids, the garrinna is a mammal. Their wings are holdovers from some unknown evolutionary line. Their feathers are comprised of keratin proteins closer to those found in birds than those normally found in hair, but are biologically identical to neither. Sexual dimorphism is minimal, and mostly revealed by close examination. Female garrinna possess a backward-facing pouch with four teats, while male garrinna possess a scrotal pouch into which their scrotal sac can be withdrawn when flying or hunting. This can make gender identification virtually impossible at a distance.
Garrinna pups are born in litters of up to four, with two or three being the most common, and are nursed in their mothers pouches for approximately two months before beginning to venture outside. Once they enter their first molt, they will exit the pouch and begin to experiment with their wings. Most young garrinna can fly unassisted by the age of four months, although they will not develop their bright adult plumage until they are a year or more of age.
Garrinna are extremely canny hunters, and are good at assessing potential threats, which explains their continued survival. Their diet consists mostly of meat, but is often supplemented with fruit, grains, and eggs. While garrinna prefer to hunt for their food, they are fully capable of subsisting on carrion and whatever else they can scavenge. A flock of hunting garrinna is a terrifying sight, especially if they have reason to dislike humans. People are, after all, made of meat.
Some people claim that the meat of the garrinna has healing properties. These people are full of shit, and should be told as much.
DESCRIPTION
Garrinna are roughly the size of corgis, which makes their tendency to travel in large flocks all the more unnerving. Their lower bodies display the broad stripes and thick tail characteristic of the Thylacine, while their upper bodies and wings have the vivid gray and pink coloration of the Australian galah. Males have solid black eyes, while females have dark brown or red eyes. All garrinna raise their crests when threatened, courting, or feeling playful, which presents a quite impressive sight. Juvenile garrinna are duller in coloration. Garrinna stripe patterns are unique to each individual.
BEHAVIOR
Garrinna preferentially live in flocks of between four and forty individuals. The largest flock recorded was documented in 1783, and supposedly consisted of over two hundred mature garrinna. Modern garrinna flocks are usually between two and a dozen. Garrinna mate for life, and males and females both participate in raising the young. Neither gender is dominant, perhaps due to the lack of sexual dimorphism and the flexibility afforded by the marsupial reproductive tract.
When hunting, garrinna are tireless, and will stalk their prey for days or even weeks when necessary. They have been known to tackle creatures several times their size, using their superior numbers to bring their targets down.
Garrinna are very intelligent, and can learn to open locks, usually by chewing through them. They are generally very gentle unless threatened, and can make excellent companion animals.
Artwork by Kory Bing.