"My, Grandma, what big teeth you have."
Item#: SCP-8226
Object Class: Keter
Special Containment Procedures: Reports of abnormally large die-offs of livestock in otherwise healthy conditions should be thoroughly researched. If any SCP-8226 instance is detected it shall be captured for research.
Description: SCP-8226 refers to a heavily derived population of canids, of worldwide distribution, able to mimic other lifeforms almost to perfection. SCP-8226 is known to be able to successfully mimic — and predate on — a large variety of gregarious animals, including but not limited to: cattle, cervids, sheep, camelids, equines (only feral populations), lagomorphs, other canids (domestic varieties), and bonobos, as well as humans.
SCP-8226 achieves this not through anomalous phenomena, but by theoretically natural adaptations. Nevertheless, even a single one of those traits is very unlikely to have evolved within the known timeframe of canid evolution, much less the totality of those present.
- Abnormalities in the digestive system.
SCP-8226 instances possess both carnivorous and herbivorous teeth. Each denture is located in rows and none is attached to the skull. Instead, it is united to the animal's body through cartilage, which retracts or expands at its convenience.1
The stomach’s acidity has been measured with a pH of 1, allowing both the consumption of bone and heavily decayed carcasses without illness.
Finally, SCP-8226 has an intestine twice as large as the canid average. As that volume wouldn't fit in the abdomen, the intestines are instead coiled around various organs.
- Abnormalities in the Respiratory system.
SCP-8226 instances can breathe both through traditional respiratory procedures and through its bare skin. Their lungs are connected to the snout, the mouth, and ears, allowing them to rapidly fill with air.
Furthermore, the creatures’ bodies contain many air sacs. These can be fully or partially inflated to increase the size or change the animal's outline. These air-sacs are primarily found in the torso and head and have the secondary function of storing oxygen for long periods of time.
The vocal cords are hyper developed, thus SCP-8226 instances can mimic a great variety of natural and artificial sounds.2
- Structural Abnormalities.
Only the spine and cranium of SCP-8226 entities are composed of true bone. The remainder of the "skeleton” is a cartilage compound able to harden and loosen in response to outside stimuli. Most often it serves to enlarge the thoracic cavity when feeding.3
Another area with excess cartilage is the face, whose structure can easily be molded by the anomaly prior to its hardening, though the lack of proper limbs will make the result uneven.4
Muscle growth is atypical. Rather than developing uniformly, muscles will greatly atrophy when not needed for mimicry, whilst others will over-develop, allowing a range of movement non-present in other canids. Thus bipedal locomotion may appear.
The animals’ nails grow up to 1 cm per day. If left alone they will fuse into a single hoove-like structure, though they can be grinded to achieve different shapes.
- Other anatomical abnormalities
The skin of SCP-8226 instances is far more elastic than average mammals, a result of collagen hyper-production.
SCP-8226 instances maintain highly variable volumes of hair. It is generally dense and can change color depending on the mimicked species. As a result of animal husbandry the most common growing pattern is wool-like. When an SCP-8226 instance wishes to change the mimicked species its down will fall, and a new one grows.
Finally, the anomalies lack any natural scent of their own. The sweat and urine are innately odorless and colorless.
- Behaviour
Many aspects of SCP-8226's intellect are unknown. They are solitary as a result of the inability of herds to support more than a few SCP-8226 instances. It can be assumed they are reasonably intelligent – though still animalistic – as to successfully mimic other lifeforms physiologically and psychologically.
The process by which an SCP-8226 instance begins its infiltration is through observation. SCP-8226 instances learn not just the aspect of selected victim herds but behavior too. If successful SCP-8226 will rub itself in its prey’s scent and proceed to attempt to join. Following successful infiltration, the anomalies will require significant caloric intake to make up for the energy spent in the mimicry. Up to twice its body mass will need to be consumed in a span of five days.
Its victims are preferably the young, old, and sick. By expanding its mandible it will be able to swallow animals of similar size whole, rendering them unable to emit distress calls. Particularly old specimens may mimic specific instances of prey animals rather than a general shape. It will then center its initial efforts in consuming those directly related to it for ease of a nightly approach.5
Once the canid’s initial feeding frenzy finishes it will only hunt occasionally. Instead, most days it will consume the same food as its new herd, its modified digestive system allowing up to 3 months of life consuming only vegetation. SCP-8226 instances will remain in their current herd for many years. The reason for abandonment is unknown, though believed to be reproductive in nature. No cubs of SCP-8226 have ever been observed.
Their predation on man is not considered a threat to normalcy. Their activities affect primarily areas where disappearances are common and which suffer little public scrutiny. Their hunting activities do not noticeably increase excess deaths and thus no further resources shall be devoted to worldwide containment.