Onahks are reddish-gray aquatic creatures native to the temperate marshes and wetlands of the backwater planet Osirrag (see page 20 of Planets of the Galaxy, Volume Three). They live in "pods" of anywhere from two to eight adults (cubs in a pod number from two to perhaps a dozen). Their diet consists of small avians, reptiles and game creatures during the summer and fish in the winter.
They are nomadic herd animals. Hunting, migration and all other functions are done together, and onahks, when attacked by larger predators, have been known to defend a sick or injured member of their pod even if it results in the death of several other members of the group.
Physically, onahks are six-legged, amphibious water breathers with a number of interesting biological adaptations, including their "extendable" neck. During the summer, these creatures spend most of their time patrolling the shallow marshes and nearby wetlands; at that time, the neck expands to a length of up to two meters (through cartilage and filling blood vessels). As the colder seasons come on and the creatures prepare for the long winter underwater, the neck contracts to barely a third of a meter long.
They have very sophisticated eyes on the end of the neck, while the mouth is located on the creature's underside. Taste and smell bulbs are on the end of the forward "long stalks" and the rear "short stalks." Onahks also have two very large air sacs on their backs, which they inflate or deflate quickly to assist in swimming.
Onahks are clearly evolved for both land and water. They breathe water, but can draw necessary oxygen from air for up to five minutes. They have retractable membranes between their clawed toes for swimming, but their muscle and skeletal structure indicate a creature clearly at home on land. They are very agile creatures, able to climb, jump and sprint with surprising deftness; they are also adept at wriggling around underwater obstacles such as roots and digging into the warrens built by quolers, their primary aquatic prey.
They had been believed to be quite fearful of any animal larger than their normal prey, including Humans. However, as the colonists of Osirrag have spread to wilderness areas, a number of encounters have occurred with the onahks; the animals seem to be curious about the newcomers. Apparently, some pods' cubs have begun following settlers in the wilderness (at least until the adult onahks round them up and scurry off).
When chased or shot at, onahks have proven surprisingly nimble and they have great affinity for using the trees and other natural terrain to avoid pursuers and escape. Some settlers have taken to domesticating onahks for meat, but many have also been taken in as pets, and in that regard they have proven loyal, trustworthy and quite intelligent. | 
