Editing Forerunner fauna and flora

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Throughout the Halo Universe, many [[Forerunner]] animals, plants and other lifeforms are shown or hinted at. Below are many known Forerunner fauna and flora.

===Land Animals===
[[Image:Dinosaurs.jpg|thumb|300px|Photos of some Thorn Beasts that didn't make it into the original game.]]

'''Halo Dinosaurs''' are native lifeforms to [[Halo]], possibly exclusive to [[Installation 04]]. They are both bipedal and quadruped in stature and somewhat resemble [[Earth]]'s dinosaurs. <ref>[[Halo E3 2000 Trailer]]</ref> The larger animals' names are [[Thorn Beast]]s and the smaller one has been identified as a [[Blind Wolf]]. <ref>[[Halo 2: Collector's Edition DVD|''Halo 2'' Collectors Edition Disc]]</ref>
The Blind Wolf was also meant to be rideable by the player as well as have the ability to bite as an attack. The Blind wolf has two very large teeth coming out of its mouth and walks on two legs, it may also be seen in large packs in the [[E3 2000]] Halo trailer.

Although they did not make it to the final cut of the game, this does not exclude them from ''[[Halo]]'' as a whole. For example, [[Engineers]] didn't make the final cut for ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' either, but they were depicted in the [[Halo Novel]]s, [[Halo Wars]] and most recently in ''[[Halo 3: Recon|Halo 3: ODST]]''. A pack of [[Brute]]s ate a Thorn Beast in ''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''. It's unknown if these animals are meant to be there, or if they are even canon to the plot of ''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]'', but just unseen.

The main reason they did not make it into the final game was that Bungie wanted the surprise introduction of the [[Flood]] to be shocking to the player, who had seen no hint of them before encountering them. It was determined that ultimately the presence of other non-Covenant aliens lessened the impact of the Flood's arrival.

===Sea Creatures===

Originally there were plans for sea creatures to inhabit the water, as seen in [[The Silent Cartographer]] the water is fully explorable in [[Halo: CE]], which would make sense to have sea creatures. In early Halo there was also a spear gun which could be used on the sea creatures and underwater enemies. A few sea creatures have been seen in early videos like sea monsters and fish. The creatures and spear gun did not appear due to balancing problems.

===Dino-Birds===
''Main Article: [[Dino-Birds]]''

On the levels ''[[Delta Halo (Level)|Delta Halo]]'', and ''[[Regret (Level)|Regret]]'', there are birds flying around in the sky, usually flying in circles or ovals. They are also in the ''Halo 3'' multiplayer maps ''[[Guardian]]'', and ''[[Epitaph]]'' where they can be examined more closely by using Flycam in Theater or Editor Mode in [[Forge]]. At first they seem like dinosaurs, but they are seen in ''[[High Charity]]'', so it is also possible that the [[Covenant]] brought "food". They are also seen on [[Installation 05]]. But then, if they are dinosaurs, the Covenant might have brought specimens to their holy city. It may never be known if they are dinosaurs or wildlife brought by the Covenant to use as hunting game. This could be confirmed by the existence of the supply ship complete with a hunting preserve, the ''[[Infinite Succor]]'' from the ''[[Halo Graphic Novel]]''.

[[Image:possible halo dinosaurs.JPG|thumb|left|The Dino-birds of [[Installation 05]]]]
Also, since it is known that Halo contains a vast multitude of terrains and environments, much like [[Earth]], it is possible that life has been developing on Halo over the 100,000 years that they have been dormant, such animals as the dino birds. Another reason why animals may not be seen is because they have the calcium store necessary for the [[Flood]] to infect, so the animals may have been destroyed by the guardians of the construct, and only avian-like animals are permitted to survive since it was mentioned that [[Drones]] do not have sufficient calcium mass to sustain the Flood.

In ''[[Halo 2]]'' and ''[[Halo 3]]'' these "birds" can be shot and killed; they are always moving, and therefore difficult to hit. After being shot once by any weapon they give off red blood and fall straight down. There is only one falling animation.

A fun thing to do in ''Halo 2'' while you are on the gondolas on the level ''Regret'', or otherwise waiting for combat, is use a carbine or Beam rifle and try and snipe them. This "hunting" is especially fun when played in co-op, as the two players can compete for the most kills. 

It is likely that they were brought over from another place to the [[Halo Installations]]  because the [[Forerunners]] could have used them as food for the Flood in an effort to learn more on Flood reproduction. However, the dino-birds could be difficult to obtain because of their avian nature, or their bodies simply do not contain enough calcium to be of use to the Flood.

===Moths===
''Main Article: [[Moths]]''

These moth-like creatures are only seen in the dark Swamps of ''[[Alpha Halo]].'' They are one of the first animals seen in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''.
You cannot interact with the moths and they are not seen in Halo 2 or 3.

===Sea Worms=== 
''Main Article: [[Sea Worms]]''

The Sea Worms are only seen on the level ''[[Silent Cartographer (Level)|Silent Cartographer]]''. They float harmlessly on the surface of the water. When exploring the water, the worms can often be seen in the waters edge, floating.

===Other===
Various animal calls were heard in the level ''343 Guilty Spark'' along with the moths. The most common sounds were the sound of an [[owl]] hooting and cricket chirping. It is unlikely that these sounds are indeed owls and crickets, but perhaps an animal that is similar. It also could be possible that they are artificial sounds made by the Forerunners to make the environment seem more life-like.

On the unknown shield world in ''[[Halo Wars]]'', there are creatures resembling sea gulls and [[eagle]]s, quite possibly the dino-birds. There are no land animals reported on that shield world.

==Flora==
===Stalk Plants===

Stalk Plants can be commonly seen in the multiplayer map ''[[Backwash (Level)|Backwash]]'', and seen often in the campaign levels ''[[343 Guilty Spark (Level)|343 Guilty Spark]]'', ''[[Gravemind (Level)|Gravemind]]'' and ''[[High Charity (Level)|High Charity]]''. These plants appear as large, thick stalks, as the name suggests and are often bulbous towards the base, tapering upwards into a thinner trunk, in a similar fashion as an onion grown on Earth. The bulb of the plant has been observed to possess some sort of photoluminescence and emits a neon green glow that repeats in a rhythmic pattern. This same property can be observed on the [[Human]] [http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Human_Combat_Form#Human_Form|Flood Combat Form] in ''[[Halo: CE]]''.

===Forerunner Trees===

Forerunner trees are aesthetically similar to modern trees on [[Earth]]. They are found on Forerunner Installations and seem to be quite abundant.<ref>''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' levels ''[[Halo (Level)|Halo]], [[Assault on the Control Room (Level)|Assault on the Control Room]]'', and ''[[Two Betrayals (Level)|Two Betrayals]]''</ref><ref>''[[Halo 2]]'' levels ''[[Delta Halo (Level)|Delta Halo]], [[Regret (Level)|Regret]], [[Uprising (Level)|Uprising]],'' and ''[[The Great Journey (Level)|The Great Journey]]''</ref><ref>''[[Halo 3]]'' levels ''[[ The Ark (Level)|The Ark]], [[The Covenant (Level)|The Covenant]]'', and ''[[Halo (Halo 3 Level)|Halo]]</ref> The trees would help keep a balanced ecosystem and make [[Halo]] seem more natural. There are many different trees seen on Halo throughout the trilogy.

===Terrain===

The majority of the terrain on [[Installation 04]] is grassy with masses of trees. Even in locales where it is snowing there are at least a few trees and patches of grass. This installation has various environments and seasons, and weather may differ on different parts of the ring.
All of the plants and trees and other flora seen on Alpha Halo, Delta Halo, and the Ark were obviously easy for the Forerunners to obtain or else they would not exist on the rings.
If there really are no fauna on the different Installations, then it is likely that the flora on the other Installations are less advanced from an evolutionary point of view than the flora on other planets. This is because the flora on those Installations would not have to compete with fauna for nutrients, and thus would have less of a reason to evolve.

==Sources==
<references/>
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Deleted Material]]
[[Category:Halo: Combat Evolved]]
[[Category:Halo 2]]
[[Category:Halo 3]]
[[Category:The Forerunner]]