Hinckley Ridgeback

The Hinckley Ridgeback is a fictional species of dragon which is native to the United Kingdom, specifically to Hinckley and the surrounding area of the East Midlands.

It was created by a group of teachers to teach how to write about animals in a non-chronological report.

Appearance

Hinckley Ridgebacks are distinctive in that they are much smaller than typical dragon species; they generally weigh between 3.6 and 4.5kg, which is approximately the same size as many breeds of domestic cat. In fact, they are widely recognised as the smallest extant species of dragon in England, following the extinction of the previous record holder, the Shilton Scaleless in 1965.

As a juvenile, Hinckley Ridgebacks are characterised by shiny yellow scales. As they mature, these scales turn dark green, which enables better camouflage from predators.

Habitat

Hinckley Ridgebacks, although restricted to a relatively small geographic area, can be found in a number of distinct habitats:

• Fields - often around neighbouring villages such as Barwell
• Allotments
• Parks
• Gardens

Most commonly, ridgebacks are found in private gardens, as they can more effectively camouflage among foliage, and feel more secure. When nesting, the dragons usually seek out large oak trees in which to build their nests, as these offer shelter from any adverse weather, as well as being difficult to spot by predators.

Population

The Hinckley Ridgeback is one of 14 dragon species currently on the endangered species list. It is hard for dragonologists to accurately calculate the number of ridgebacks which currently exist, as they are extremely shy and evasive, and are almost always only seen at night. Their current estimate is there are likely to be between 120 and 200 adult ridgebacks within the Hinckley area.

There is concern in the community that they have previously been hunted, as uneducated individuals often mistook them for other, more dangerous, species. The Ridgeback is infact harmless.

Special skills

The Hinckley Ridgeback is unusual among dragons, in not collecting gold, silver or jewels. This sets it apart from most other species, which are well known for such behaviours. They are, in fact, world famous for being clever, logical creatures with a particular skill at playing chess.

References

This article "Hinckley Ridgeback" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Hinckley Ridgeback. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.

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