Nashaki Oxen
Nashaki Oxen are a beast of burden mammal native to the Hotlands. Their bodies are predominately covered with armor made of bone, which is attached to their spines, similar to a tortoise. Unlike a tortoise, however, a Nashaki Ox cannot retreat inside its armor. They have strong, powerful beaks for breaking open whatever it is they wish to eat, be it cactuses, palm trees, bones, etc. They are particularly suited for desert life, able to store vast quantities of water inside a special bladder within their bodies. They have only the absolute lightest amount of near invisible fur over their skin, though not on their armor. The adults stand about 5' / 152cm at the shoulders, with both genders being the same size. It is often difficult to differentiate the male from the females unless you get close enough to see the females' nipples on her torso just beneath her forelegs or if you happen to see them mating, as their genitals are kept within their bodies otherwise.It seems that they are able to eat any organic material without illness and do not seem to have any particular preferences. They move in large herds around the Hotlands, traveling from various water sources. If the region is particularly dry or in drought, they will move to the coasts as they can drink saltwater safely. The adults are fiercely protective of their young, both parents fighting in tandem against any attacker. The adults mate for life, and should a mate die, the surviving mate will be sent into an uncontrollable, vindictive rage. This rage is contagious, spreading throughout an entire herd, which will chase after or attack the perceived assailant until they've been killed. Once that has happened, the herd will return to normal as though nothing will have happened. The surviving mate will not take any new mates, but does often partner up with another parental couple to help protect their young specifically.
Typically the Nashaki Ox is used as a beast of burden as they are very strong and durable in the Hotlands environment. The meat can be eaten, but it is often described as gamy and stringy. The bone armor is often sought for various crafts within Nashaki, and the water storing organ is useful should a desert dweller find themselves in an emergency. The Nashaki Ox can be milked, which is highly nutritious though tastes terribly sour. However, this milk does not spoil in heat, but rather only spoils in cold temperatures. Finally, due to the Nashaki Ox's ability to eat any biomatter, they have a unique, powerful intestinal flora, which produces extremely fertile manure.