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Life Forms of the Twelve Colonies: Difference between revisions

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:''This article discusses an aspect of the [[Re-imagined Series]] version of the Twelve Colonies. For information on the [[Original Series]] version, see [[The Twelve Colonies (TOS)]].''
{{disline|This article discusses an aspect of the [[Re-imagined Series]] version of the Twelve Colonies. For information on the [[Original Series]] version, see [[The Twelve Colonies of Man]].}}


{{RDM twelve colonies series}}
This article documents '''flora and fauna''' of [[The Twelve Colonies of Kobol|the Twelve Colonies]] as depicted in the [[Re-imagined Series]]. In keeping with [[Ronald D. Moore]]'s [[naturalistic science fiction]] approach, the Colonies feature predominantly Earth-like organisms with minimal fictional species.
== Design Philosophy ==
Series creator Ronald D. Moore initially avoided addressing Colonial animal life to prevent limiting the show's creative flexibility. In the [[Miniseries]] commentary, Moore explained the production's evolving approach:
{{quote|David and I, we had discussed, at an early point; well, do they have dogs and cats and things like that? And we said, "No, no, no," let's not go there, 'cause that locks us into a whole Terrestrial-kind of like thing. We'll just avoid any mention of it. Nobody will even, like, register that we had "Chicken pie" the whole time, and in retrospect "Oh, I guess there are chickens".|[[Ronald D. Moore]]|[[Miniseries]] audio commentary}}
Despite these initial reservations, the series eventually featured live animals prominently, including [[Caesar|two]] [[Jake (New Caprica)|dogs]] and a [[Lance|cat]], along with brief appearances by rats and bats.
== Taxonomic Organization ==
=== Mammals ===
==== Domestic and Companion Animals ====
[[File:Lampkin's cat.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Romo Lampkin]]'s cat, [[Lance]] {{TRS|The Son Also Rises}}.]]
'''Cats'''
* [[Romo Lampkin]] carries a cat named [[Lance]] with him during [[Lee Adama]]'s trial {{TRS|The Son Also Rises}}.
* {{callsign|William Adama}} uses "cat" in radio protocol: [[Nothing but the rain|"...then grab your gun and bring in the cat."]] {{TRS|Miniseries}}
[[File:Jake and bowl.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Jake (New Caprica)|Jake]], a [[w:Landseer (dog)|Landseer Newfoundland]], on [[New Caprica]] {{TRS|Precipice}}.]]
'''Dogs'''
* [[Jake (New Caprica)|Jake]], a [[w:Landseer (dog)|Landseer Newfoundland]], appears on [[New Caprica]]. [[Felix Gaeta]] flips Jake's water bowl to signal [[Galen Tyrol]] about intelligence drops {{TRS|Precipice}}. Jake is the first live animal to play a significant role in the series.
* [[Caesar]] is kept at the [[Graystone Estate]] 58 years before the [[Fall of the Colonies]] ([[CAP]]: [[Caprica pilot]], "[[The Imperfections of Memory]]," "[[Ghosts in the Machine]]").
* [[Billy Keikeya]] mentions owning a dog named [[Jake (Billy's dog)|Jake]], described as a "big shaggy thing" that "takes 20 pills a day" ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]," [[List of Deleted Scenes|deleted scene]]).
* The callsign "Bulldog" for [[Daniel Novacek]] implies the existence of Earth's [[Wikipedia:bulldog|bulldog breed]].
* Multiple colloquial references appear throughout the series: Baltar's comment about being "an anointed dog catcher" {{TRS|Epiphanies}}; [[Helena Cain|Cain]]'s remark "you look like I just shot your dog" {{TRS|Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus}}; and Roslin's radio protocol "D, as in dog" {{TRS|Miniseries}}.
==== Livestock and Working Animals ====
'''Bovines'''
* [[Tauron Bulls]] are a sports team in the Twelve Colonies circa {{YR|42}}.
* [[Sam Adama]] has a Tauron bull dashboard ornament in his car {{CAP|Gravedancing}}.
* The presence of meat in the fleet strongly suggests Colonials raised cattle or similar bovines for food.


{{RDM twelve colonies series}}
'''Equines'''
* [[Galen Tyrol]] advises treating a [[Raider (RDM)|Raider]] "like a horse" {{TRS|Six Degrees of Separation}}.
* [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] and [[Sharon Valerii]] are shown in what appears to be horse stables {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)}}.
* A horse appears on a picture on the [[memorial hallway|memorial wall]] {{TRS|Maelstrom}}.
* [[Daniel Graystone|Daniel]] and [[Amanda Graystone]] ride horses in an altered [[New Cap City]] ([[CAP]]: "[[The Heavens Will Rise]]," "[[Here Be Dragons]]").
 
'''Other Livestock'''
* '''Goats''': Mentioned by [[Kara Thrace]] in comparison to horses {{TRS|Six Degrees of Separation}}.
* '''Pigs''': Referenced by [[Phelan]], who calls [[Fisk]] "a pig" {{TRS|Black Market}}.
 
==== Wildlife ====
 
'''Bats'''
* Seen flying from an abandoned warehouse {{TRS|Litmus}}.
 
'''Camels'''
* [[Gaius Baltar]] displays a camel statuette on his [[:Image:Season 3 - Promo - Epi 1 - 2 - Gaius Baltar and Cylons.jpg|desk]] while serving as president {{TRS|Precipice}}.
 
'''Dolphins'''
* Traditional [[Picon]] engagement necklaces sold by [[CSN]] depict two dolphins {{CAP|Retribution}}.
 
'''Elephants'''
* [[Messenger Baltar]] points out the elephants on Sharon Valerii's coffee table to [[Caprica-Six]] {{TRS|Downloaded}}.
* William Adama displays a tapestry with two elephants in his quarters.
* [[John Cavil]] uses a carved wooden elephant to activate [[Sharon Valerii]]'s Cylon sleeper personality {{TRS|The Plan}}.
 
'''Gorillas'''
* Mentioned metaphorically by Starbuck: "I'm gonna need some of those gorillas you call Marines" {{TRS|Sacrifice}}.
 
'''Jackrabbits'''
* Starbuck compares the [[Viper Mark II]]'s maneuverability to a jackrabbit {{TRS|Act of Contrition}}.
 
'''Monkeys'''
* Referenced in deleted scene dialogue about "freight monkeys" ([[TRS]]: "[[Scattered]]," [[List of Deleted Scenes|deleted scene]]).
 
'''Otters'''
* An otter appears on a [[:Image:AdrienBauer.jpg|picture]] on the [[memorial hallway|memorial wall]] {{TRS|Taking a Break From All Your Worries}}.
 
'''Panthers'''
* Adama identifies as a [[Picon Panthers]] fan {{TRS|Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II}}.
 
[[File:UnnamedCapricanCities3.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Rats on [[Caprica (RDM)|Caprica]] {{TRS|Bastille Day}}.]]
 
'''Rats'''
* Rats appear on-screen in abandoned areas of Caprica. [[Karl Agathon|Helo]] exclaims "Frakkin' rats!" upon encountering them {{TRS|Bastille Day}}.
* Another rat appears in a [[Galactica (RDM)|''Galactica'']] storage area {{TRS|Litmus}}.
 
'''Squirrels'''
* [[Xeno Fenner]] describes [[Cabott]] as "squirrelly," though this may be purely figurative {{TRS|Dirty Hands}}.
 
'''Tigers'''
* [[Felix Gaeta]] has a [[tattoo]] of a tiger on his upper right chest {{TRS|Final Cut}}.
 
'''Weasels'''
* The [[Raptor]] in ''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' is named "Wild Weasel."
 
=== Birds ===
 
'''Birds of Prey'''
* The [[Raptor]] spacecraft is presumably named after [[w:Bird of prey|raptorial birds]].
* A bird of prey is heard and mentioned by [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]] and [[Socinus]] on [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] {{TRS|Valley of Darkness}}.
 
'''Blackbirds'''
* The [[Blackbird]] experimental stealth fighter takes its name from the [[w:Blackbird|blackbird]] {{TRS|Flight of the Phoenix}}.
 
'''Chickens'''
* [[Cami]] mentions having "chicken pie" for dinner {{TRS|Miniseries}}.
* Colonel [[Saul Tigh|Tigh]] imitates a chicken while mocking Starbuck's callsign: "Starbuck-buck-buck" {{TRS|Miniseries}}.
 
'''Ducks'''
* [[Playa Palacios|Palacios]] uses the phrase "like ducks in a Cylon shooting gallery" {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)}}.
* "Duck" is the callsign of Lieutenant [[Tucker Clellan]] {{TRS|Flight of the Phoenix|Scar|The Resistance|Occupation|Precipice}}.
 
'''Geese'''
* Colonel Tigh mentions "big goose eggs" {{TRS|Water}}.
 
'''Parakeets'''
* [[Jammer]] references "a giant parakeet" {{TRS|Resistance}}.
 
'''Pigeons'''
* {{callsign|Lee Adama}} chases a pigeon in his apartment {{TRS|Daybreak, Part I}}.
 
'''Sparrows'''
* Colonial pilot jargon for a Cylon [[Raider (RDM)|Raider]] {{TRS|Maelstrom}}.
 
'''Swallows'''
* The Colonial drone weapon [[Swallow]] is named after the [[w:Swallow|bird]] {{TRS|Occupation}}.
 
'''Turkeys'''
* Colonial pilot jargon for a Cylon [[Heavy Raider]] {{TRS|Maelstrom}}.
 
'''Vultures'''
* In a [[List of Deleted Scenes (RDM)#Downloaded|deleted scene]] from "[[Downloaded]]," {{callsign|Karl Agathon}} calls [[D'Anna Biers]] a "stupid frakking vulture."
 
=== Reptiles ===
 
'''Pythons'''
* Adama uses a python as metaphor: "Betrayal has such a powerful grip on the mind. It's almost like a python. You can squeeze out the thought, suffocate all other emotion until everything is dead except for the rage" {{TRS|Home, Part I}}.
 
[[File:TRS - Act of Contrition - Snakes on a Plane.jpg|thumb|[[Laura Roslin]] sees snakes during a [[chamalla]]-induced vision {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)}}.]]
 
'''Vipers (Serpents)'''
* [[Laura Roslin]] experiences a vision of "serpents two and ten" as [[Pythia|prophesied]], which she and [[Elosha]] interpret as representing the [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] fighter craft {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)}}.
* Roslin sees snakes on her podium during a press conference, believed to be a side effect of her [[chamalla]] treatment {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)}}.
 
=== Fish and Aquatic Life ===
 
'''Betta or Guppy'''
* When [[Number Six]] visits Baltar's house, three glasses containing small, long-finned, black fish are visible—a display method typical for [[Wikipedia:Siamese fighting fish|Siamese fighting fish]] {{TRS|Miniseries}}.
 
'''Salmon'''
* Baltar recalls watching [[W:Anadromous|anadromous]] fish (almost certainly salmon) attempt to swim upstream in the [[Euclid River]] during his childhood {{TRS|Home, Part I}}.
 
'''Sharks'''
* ECO [[Lyla Ellway|Lyla "Shark" Ellway]] presumably takes her callsign from these predators {{TRS|The Captain's Hand}}.
 
=== Invertebrates ===
 
'''Ants'''
* [[Crashdown]] complains of feeling "like they have ants crawling behind their frakking eyeballs" {{TRS|33}}.
 
'''Cockroaches'''
* Starbuck notes that "even a cockroach needs to breathe" {{TRS|You Can't Go Home Again}}.
 
'''Oysters'''
* [[Sharon Valerii|Caprica-Sharon]] recalls Starbuck "puking your guts out in the head after you ate some bad oysters" {{TRS|Scattered}}.
 
=== Plants ===
 
==== Fictional Flora ====
 
'''[[Chamalla]]'''
* A medicinal plant with pain-killing and hallucinogenic properties. [[Laura Roslin]] explores it as alternative cancer treatment {{TRS|Act of Contrition}}.
* Effects resemble herbal [[Wikipedia:Cannabinoids|cannabinoids]] and [[Wikipedia:Opioids|opioids]] found in [[Wikipedia:Cannabis|cannabis]] and [[Wikipedia:Opium Poppy|opium poppy]], respectively.
 
'''[[Fumarella leaf]]'''
* [[Gaius Baltar]] describes it as "hand-rolled from some of the finest Fumarella leaf on Caprica. It's also one of the last left in the universe" {{TRS|Water}}.
* An homage to the [[TOS|original series]], where {{TOS|Starbuck}}'s [[Wikipedia:Cigar|cigars]] are called "[[Fumarello|fumarellos]]." This plant may be similar or identical to [[Wikipedia:Tobacco|tobacco]].
 
==== Food Crops and Produce ====


This article is a list of fictional and actual '''animals and plants''' mentioned in the [[Re-imagined Series]] as existing on [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|the Twelve Colonies]]. For the most part, the Colonies appear to have the same organisms as present-day earth, with some exceptions.
'''Fruits'''
* '''Apples''': Roslin uses "A as in apple" in radio protocol {{TRS|Miniseries}}. [[Number One|Cavil]] cuts an apple for [[John (RDM)|a young boy]] {{TRS|The Plan}}.
* '''Blueberries''': Starbuck tells Tyrol, "You look like a blueberry" {{TRS|Flight of the Phoenix}}.
[[File:Grapes.PNG|thumb|A bowl of virtual grapes in a holoband simulation {{CAP|False Labor}}]]
* '''Grapes''': Amanda-A sets down a bowl of grapes in [[Daniel Graystone]]'s [[holoband]] simulation {{CAP|False Labor}}.
* '''Lemons''': Colonel Tigh mentions "A couple of lemons, we could make lemonade" {{TRS|Bastille Day}}.
* '''Oranges''': The Adama family drinks orange juice {{CAP|False Labor}}.


In keeping with the [[naturalistic science fiction]] concepts that [[Ronald D. Moore|Ron D. Moore]] used to model the series, it is unlikely that we may see any life forms outside of those found on any of the Earth-like planets of the Twelve Colonies.
'''Vegetables'''
* '''Beans''': Mentioned in fleet food supplies.
* '''Carrots''': Baltar uses "stick and carrot" metaphor {{TRS|Pegasus (episode)}}. Daniel Graystone cuts carrots {{CAP|End of Line}}.
* '''Celery''': Appears in resistance supplies {{TRS|The Resistance}}.
* '''Chili peppers''': Decorates Lee Adama's drink {{TRS|Sacrifice}}.
* '''Maize (Corn)''': Available in survival rations {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)}}.
* '''Peanuts''': Helo finds peanut butter in survival supplies {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)}}.
* '''Potatoes''': [[Kendra Shaw]] is threatened with demotion to "peeling potatoes in the ship's galley" {{TRS|Razor}}.


Ron D. Moore initially chose to avoid addressing the issue of the types of live animals planned to appear.  In the commentary for the [[Miniseries]], Moore elaborates:
'''Nuts and Other Plants'''
:..."David and I, we had discussed, at an early point; well, do they have dogs and cats and things like that?  And we said, "No, no, no", let's not go there, 'cause that locks us into a whole Terrestrial-kind of like thing.  We'll just avoid any mention of it.  '''Nobody will even, like, register that we had "Chicken pie" the whole time, and in retrospect "Oh, I guess there are chickens"."'''
* '''Walnuts''': Adama cracks walnuts while reviewing potential CAG candidates {{TRS|Home, Part I}}.


Over the course of the series, however, not only have the terrestrial names of flora and fauna been used extensively, but [[Caesar|two]] [[Jake (New Caprica)|live dogs]] and a [[Lance|cat]] have also appeared somewhat prominently. Rats and bats can briefly be seen in "[[Bastille Day]]" and "[[Litmus]]" respectively.
==== Medicinal and Flavoring Plants ====


==Fictional==
'''Algae'''
===Plants===
* Mentioned as a potential food source. Tyrol references finding a "hot [[w:fudge|fudge]] planet" as alternative to algae-based meals {{TRS|The Eye of Jupiter}}.
*[[Chamalla]]
:'''Roslin:''' "I would like to explore alternative treatment. [...] Have you ever heard of Chamalla extract?" {{TRS|Act of Contrition}}
:''Resembles (somewhat) herbal [[Wikipedia:Cannabinoids|cannabinoids]] and [[Wikipedia:Opioids|opioids]] in its pain-killing and hallucinogenic effects, which are found in the plant [[Wikipedia:Cannabis|cannabis]] and the [[Wikipedia:Opium Poppy|opium poppy]], respectively.''
*[[Fumarella leaf]]
:'''Baltar:''' "A parting gift: hand-rolled from some of the finest Fumarella leaf on Caprica. It's also one of the last left in the universe." {{TRS|Water}}
:''An homage to the [[TOS|original series]], in which {{TOS|Starbuck}}'s [[Wikipedia:Cigar|cigars]] are referred to as "[[Fumarello|fumarellos]]". This plant may be similar or identical to [[Wikipedia:Tobacco|tobacco]].''


==Real==
'''Burdock'''
===Animals===
* Used by Sagittarons as a calmative {{TRS|The Woman King}}.
====Mammals====
*[[w:Bat|Bat]]
:Seen flying out of an abandoned warehouse in "[[Litmus]]".
*[[w:Bovinae|Bovinae]]
: Given the presence of meat in the fleet, it is likely that the Colonials get meat from such animals.
[[Image:Lampkin's cat.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Romo Lampkin's cat, [[Lance]].]]
*[[w:Camel|Camel]]
:Baltar has a statuette of a camel on his [[:Image:Season 3 - Promo - Epi 1 - 2 - Gaius Baltar and Cylons.jpg|desk]] while president {{TRS|Precipice}}.
*[[Wikipedia:Cat|Cat]]
**'''Adama:''' [[Nothing but the rain|"...then grab your gun and bring in the cat."]] {{TRS|Miniseries}}
**[[Romo Lampkin]] carries a [[Lance|cat]] around with him {{TRS|The Son Also Rises}}.
*[[Wikipedia:Dog|Dog]]
**'''Cally:'''  "She said the engine power-up sequence began by squeezing something that looks like a red ligament with blue veins on the right side coming out of a sack of gooey fluid, shaped like a... dog."  {{TRS|Six Degrees of Separation}}
[[Image:Jake and bowl.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Jake (New Caprica)|Jake]] on New Caprica.]]
**'''Baltar:'''  "I will be the President, all right, but without the military support, I might as well be an anointed dog catcher." {{TRS|Epiphanies}}
**'''Roslin:''' "I need you to send my ID code on the exact same frequency: D, as in dog [...]" {{TRS|Miniseries}}
**'''[[Helena Cain|Cain]]:''' "Madam President, you look like I just shot your dog." ([[TRS]]: "[[Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus]]", [[Quotes:01 5|Quote of the day]])
**'''[[Billy Keikeya|Billy]]:''' "...dog takes 20 pills a day." - '''Roslin:''' "I didn't know you had a dog." - '''Billy:''' "Yeah, big shaggy thing, [[Jake (Billy's dog)|Jake]]." ([[TRS]]: "[[Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I]]", [[List of Deleted Scenes|deleted scene]])
**A dog named [[Jake (New Caprica)|Jake]] appears on [[New Caprica]], whose water bowl is flipped by [[Felix Gaeta]] to notify [[Galen Tyrol]] of an intelligence drop {{TRS|Precipice}}. Jake, a [[w:Landseer (dog)|Landseer Newfoundland]], is the first live animal to play a significant role in the series, with a [[Lance|cat]] to follow in a [[The Son Also Rises|later season 3 episode]].
**[[Daniel Novacek]]'s callsign "Bulldog" implies the possible existence of [[Wikipedia:bulldog|Earth's bulldog breed]].
**A dog named [[Caesar]] is kept at the [[Graystone Estate]] 58 years before the [[Fall of the Colonies]] ([[CAP]]: [[Caprica pilot]], "[[The Imperfections of Memory]]," "[[Ghosts in the Machine]]").
*[[Wikipedia:Elephant|Elephant]]
**'''Hallucination-Baltar:''' "Start with the elephants..." {{TRS|Downloaded}}
**William Adama has a tapestry depicting two elephants hanging in his quarters.
*[[Wikipedia:Goat|Goat]]
:'''Starbuck:'''  "A horse. Why not a goat? I mean, that's good, right? Think of it as a goat." {{TRS|Six Degrees of Separation}}
*[[Wikipedia:Gorilla|Gorilla]]
:'''Starbuck:'''  "I'm gonna need some of those gorillas you call Marines." {{TRS|Sacrifice}}
*[[Wikipedia:Horse|Horse]]
**'''Tyrol:''' "Take it for a ride. Treat it like a horse." {{TRS|Six Degrees of Separation}}
**Helo and Sharon are in what looks like horse stables in "[[The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God]]"
**A horse can be seen on a picture on the [[memorial hallway|memorial wall]] behind Kara Thrace in "[[Maelstrom]]"
**[[Daniel Graystone|Daniel]] and [[Amanda Graystone]] and [[Sam Adama]] ride horses in an altered [[New Cap City]]. ([[CAP]]:  "[[The Heavens Will Rise]]," "[[Here Be Dragons]]."
*[[Wikipedia:Hare|Jackrabbit]]
:'''Starbuck''':  "This is the Viper Mark II. It's as maneuverable as a jackrabbit and can flip end for end in .35 seconds."  {{TRS|Act of Contrition}}
*[[Wikipedia:Monkey|Monkey]]
:'''[[Cliff Hooper]]'s friend:''' "He's a real-deal war hero, Hoop. Can't be seen drinkin' with a bunch of low-life freight monkeys." ([[TRS]]: "[[Scattered]]", [[List of Deleted Scenes|deleted scene]])
*[[Wikipedia:Otter|Otter]]
**An otter can be seen on a [[:Image:AdrienBauer.jpg|picture]] on the [[memorial hallway|memorial wall]] behind Baltar in "[[Taking a Break From All Your Worries]]"
*[[Wikipedia:Panther|Panther]]
:'''Adama:''' "I'm a [[Picon Panthers]] fan myself." {{TRS|Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II}}
*[[Wikipedia:Pig|Pig]]
:'''Phelan''':  "Fisk was a pig. He tried to force us to renegotiate."
[[Image:UnnamedCapricanCities3.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Rats on Caprica {{TRS|Bastille Day}}.]]
*{{inlineref|rat|[[Wikipedia:Rat|Rat]]|bold=N}}
**'''Helo:''' Frakkin' rats! {{TRS|Bastille Day}}
**:Rats actually appear on screen in this episode.
**Another rat can be seen in "[[Litmus]]"
*[[Wikipedia:Squirrel|Squirrel]]
:In the episode [[Dirty Hands]], [[Xeno Fenner]] describes [[Cabott]] as "squirrelly." This might simply be a figure of speech.
*[[Wikipedia:Tiger|Tiger]]
:Gaeta reveals a [[tattoo]] of a tiger on his upper right chest in the episode "[[Final Cut]]".
*[[w:Weasel|Weasel]]
:The [[Raptor]] in ''[[Blood and Chrome]]'' is named "Wild Weasel."


====Birds====
'''Cocoa'''
*[[w:Bird of prey|Birds of Prey]]
* Tyrol's reference to "fudge" implies the existence of cocoa plants {{TRS|The Eye of Jupiter}}.
**While the animals have never been specifically mentioned, it's reasonable to assume the [[Raptor]] is named after them.
**Possibly a bird of prey is heard and mentioned by Tyrol and Socinus on Kobol {{TRS|Valley of Darkness}}.
*[[w:Blackbird|Blackbird]]
:The creature for which the [[Blackbird]] experimental stealth fighter was named {{TRS|Flight of the Phoenix}}.
*[[w:Chicken|Chicken]]
**'''Cami:''' "We're going out for dinner, and I'm having chicken pie, and then we're going home, and then Daddy's going to read to me, and then I'm going to bed." {{TRS|Miniseries}}
**Colonel Tigh imitates a chicken when mocking Starbuck's nickname, "Starbuck-buck-buck." {{TRS|Miniseries}}
*[[w:Duck|Ducks]]
**'''Palacios''': "Wouldn't we be like ducks in a Cylon shooting gallery?" {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God}}
**"Duck" is the callsign of Lieutenant [[Tucker Clellan]] ([[TRS]]: "[[Flight of the Phoenix]]", "[[Scar]]", [[Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance|"The Resistance" webisodes]])
*[[w:Geese|Geese]]
:'''Colonel Tigh''': "They're coming up with big goose eggs" {{TRS|Water}}
*[[w:Parakeet|Parakeet]]
:'''Jammer:''' "I don't care if they put a giant parakeet in here. If the colonel says build a cell, we build a cell." {{TRS|Resistance (episode)|Resistance}}
*[[w:Pigeon|Pigeons]]
:There is a pigeon in the episode [[Daybreak,_Part_I|Daybreak, Part I]].
*[[w:Sparrow|Sparrow]]
:Colonial pilot jargon for a Cylon Raider {{TRS|Maelstrom}}.
*[[w:Swallow|Swallow]]
:The creature for which the Colonial drone weapon the [[Swallow]] was named {{TRS|Occupation}}.
*[[w:Turkey|Turkey]]
:Colonial pilot jargon for a Cylon Heavy Raider {{TRS|Maelstrom}}.
*[[w:Vulture|Vulture]]
:In a [[List of Deleted Scenes (RDM)#Downloaded|deleted scene]] from "[[Downloaded]]", [[Karl Agathon]] calls [[D'Anna Biers]] a "stupid frakking vulture" after being notified of [[Hera Agathon|Hera]]'s alleged death.


====Reptiles====
'''Coffee'''
*[[Wikipedia:Python|Python]]
* [[Felix Gaeta|Gaeta]] mentions container ships refusing to release "Food, medicine, even coffee" {{TRS|Resistance (episode)}}.
:'''Adama:''' "Betrayal has such a powerful grip on the mind. It's almost like a python. You can squeeze out the thought, suffocate all other emotion until everything is dead except for the rage." {{TRS|Home, Part I}}
* [[Evelyn]] discusses coffee availability {{CAP|False Labor}}.
*[[Wikipedia:Viper|Viper]]
:[[Laura Roslin]] has a vision of "serpents two and ten" as [[Pythia|prophesized]], which she and [[Elosha]] associate with the [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] fighter craft {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God}}.


====Fish====
'''Licorice'''
*[[Wikipedia:Salmon|Salmon]]
* Roslin offers "Chamalla and licorice" {{TRS|Resistance (episode)}}.
:'''Baltar:''' "There was an off-road bridge, over the [[Euclid River|Euclid river]]. I used to go there, when I was a boy. Watch the fish try and swim upstream. They were mesmerizing." {{TRS|Home, Part I}}
:''What Baltar describes, without naming, are [[Wikipedia:Anadromous|anadromous]] fish - almost certainly a type of salmon.
*[[Wikipedia:Shark|Shark]]
:ECO [[Lyla Ellway|Lyla "Shark" Ellway]] ([[TRS]]: "[[The Captain's Hand]]") presumably took her call-sign from these creatures.
*[[Wikipedia:Betta|Betta]] or [[Wikipedia:Guppy|Guppy]]
:When Six comes "home" to Baltar's house carrying the metal suitcase, one can see three different glasses on a table in the front of the scene. They contain only water and one living, small, long-finned, black fish each, a way aggressive [[Wikipedia:Siamese fighting fish|Siamese fighting fish]] are kept {{TRS|Miniseries}}.


====Invertebrates====
== Narrative and Production Significance ==
*[[Wikipedia:Ant|Ant]]
:'''Crashdown:''' "Someone else feel like they have ants crawling behind their frakking eyeballs?" {{TRS|33}}
*[[Wikipedia:Cockroach|Cockroach]]
:'''Starbuck:''' "...even a cockroach needs to breathe..." ([[TRS]]: "[[You Can't Go Home Again]]")
*[[Wikipedia:Oyster|Oyster]]
:'''Caprica-Sharon:''' "I remember the first day I met you, Starbuck. You were puking your guts out in the head after you ate some bad oysters." {{TRS|Scattered}}


===Plants===
The gradual introduction of terrestrial animals and plants served multiple narrative functions throughout the series. Dogs, particularly Jake on New Caprica, provided emotional grounding and normalcy to resistance operations. [[Lance]] the cat humanized the enigmatic attorney [[Romo Lampkin]], while the presence of familiar foods connected Colonial culture to Earth despite their separate origins.
*[[w:Algae|Algae]]
*[[Wikipedia:Apple|Apple]]
:'''Roslin:''' "I need you to send my ID code on the exact same frequency: D, as in dog, dash, 456, dash, 345, dash, A as in apple." {{TRS|Miniseries}}
:''In the commentary for the [[Miniseries]], [[Ron Moore]] stated that the [[Armistice Officer|officer]] at [[Armistice Station]] was originally supposed to take out an apple and eat it while studying his notes; in keeping with the new series's emphasis on naturalism.''
:In one of the last scenes from "[[The Plan]]" [[Number One|Cavil]] cuts an apple for the [[John (RDM)|little boy]].
*[[Wikipedia:Beans|Beans]]
*[[Wikipedia:Blueberry|Blueberry]]
:'''Starbuck:''' "You look like a blueberry." {{TRS|Flight of the Phoenix}}
*[[Wikipedia:Burdock|Burdock]]
:Used by Sagittarons as a calmative {{TRS|The Woman King}}.
*[[Wikipedia:Carrot|Carrot]]
:'''Baltar''':  "Simply put, Admiral, you have already used the stick. It's time to use a carrot."  {{TRS|Pegasus (episode)|Pegasus}}
:[[Daniel Graystone]] can be seen cutting carrots. {{CAP|End of Line}}
*[[Wikipedia:Celery|Celery]] {{TRS|The Resistance}}
*[[Wikipedia:Chili pepper|Chili pepper]]
**In the episode "[[Sacrifice]]", Lee Adama's drink is decorated with a chili pepper.
*[[w:Cocoa|Cocoa]]
:In "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]", [[Tyrol]] says, referring to the algae, "It's breakfast, lunch and dinner until someone finds a hot [[w:fudge|fudge]] planet."
*[[Wikipedia:Coffea|Coffee plant]]
:'''Gaeta:''' "Seven other container ships are refusing to release their supplies. Food, medicine, even coffee." {{TRS|Resistance (episode)|Resistance}}
:'''Evelyn:''' "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Coffee. Why do you ask?" {{CAP|False Labor}}
[[Image:Grapes.PNG|thumb|A bowl of virtual grapes {{CAP|False Labor}}]]
*[[Wikipedia:Grape|Grape]]
:Amanda-A in [[Daniel Graystone]]'s [[holoband]] simulation sets down a bowl of grapes. {{CAP|False Labor}}
*[[Wikipedia:Maize|Maize]]
*[[Wikipedia:Lemon|Lemon]]
:'''Col. Tigh''':  "A couple of lemons, we could make lemonade".  {{TRS|Bastille Day}}
*[[Wikipedia:Licorice|Licorice]]
:'''Roslin:''' "Chamalla and licorice. Would you like some?" {{TRS|Resistance (episode)|Resistance}}
*[[w:Orange (fruit)|Orange]]
:In "[[False Labor]]", the Adama family can be seen having orange juice.
*[[Wikipedia:Peanut|Peanut]]
:'''Helo:''' You hungry? I don't know, what do we got? Peanut butter... baked beans, corn. How about some chili?  {{TRS|The Hand of God (RDM)|The Hand of God}}
::''Helo is probably referring to the common [[Wikipedia:Haricot bean|Haricot bean]]''
*[[w:Potato|Potato]]
:In "[[Razor]]", Kara Thrace asks [[Kendra Shaw]] if she wants to be demoted back to peeling potatoes in the ship's galley.
*[[Wikipedia:Walnut|Walnut]]
:Adama cracks walnuts while going over potential CAGs in the episode "[[Home, Part I]]".


==Official Statements==
Moore's initial hesitation proved prescient—the appearance of Earth-identical species raised questions about parallel evolution that the series never fully addressed. However, the naturalistic approach ultimately enhanced the show's accessibility and emotional resonance, allowing viewers to connect with Colonial society through familiar touchstones.


*In an [http://www.battlestargalactica.com/outside_docs/bg_outdoc0050.htm interview with BattlestarGalactica.com on December 28th, 2005] RDM was asked about the possibility of animals actually appearing in future episodes:
== Official Statements ==


:"Q: [[Boxey (RDM)|Boxey]]'s been more or less written out of the series, but there's always a chance that we might one day see the return of [[Muffit]], or some other form of Man's Best Friend. Might we see the introduction of animals (including Cylon animals) into ''Galactica'' universe? Where would Cylon animals fit in with the Cylon plan (especially in light of "[[The Farm]]")? Can Cylon animals reproduce?
In a December 28, 2005 interview with BattlestarGalactica.com, Ronald D. Moore addressed the potential for expanded animal appearances:


:RDM:  The presence of animals in the [[The Fleet (RDM)|rag-tag fleet]] was something that came up in early discussions, but we kinda dropped it from the conversation as the year went on. I don't know if we'll ever get around to doing something in this area or not. It mostly depends on finding a story that supports it in some interesting fashion other than [[Felix Gaeta|Gaeta]] finds a kitty. I don't think the Cylons are creating animals as we would define them, but they certainly see the Raiders and other craft as animals vis a vis their relationship with the [[humanoid Cylon]]s."
{{quote|The presence of animals in the [[The Fleet (RDM)|rag-tag fleet]] was something that came up in early discussions, but we kinda dropped it from the conversation as the year went on. I don't know if we'll ever get around to doing something in this area or not. It mostly depends on finding a story that supports it in some interesting fashion other than [[Felix Gaeta|Gaeta]] finds a kitty. I don't think the Cylons are creating animals as we would define them, but they certainly see the Raiders and other craft as animals vis a vis their relationship with the [[humanoid Cylon]]s.|[[Ronald D. Moore]]|BattlestarGalactica.com interview}}


''In a curious footnote to Moore's comment, eventually the character of Felix Gaeta finds not a kitty, but a [[Jake (New Caprica)|dog and his water dish]].''
In an ironic footnote to Moore's comment, Felix Gaeta eventually encounters not a cat, but [[Jake (New Caprica)|a dog and his water dish]] that becomes integral to resistance intelligence operations.


[[Category:Animals|*]]
[[Category:Animals|*]]

Latest revision as of 00:54, 24 December 2025

Battlestar Wiki Story Arc Logo
This article discusses an aspect of the Re-imagined Series version of the Twelve Colonies. For information on the Original Series version, see The Twelve Colonies of Man.
 Battlestar Wiki Story Arc Logo
Part of the series on


This article documents flora and fauna of the Twelve Colonies as depicted in the Re-imagined Series. In keeping with Ronald D. Moore's naturalistic science fiction approach, the Colonies feature predominantly Earth-like organisms with minimal fictional species.

Design Philosophy

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Series creator Ronald D. Moore initially avoided addressing Colonial animal life to prevent limiting the show's creative flexibility. In the Miniseries commentary, Moore explained the production's evolving approach:

David and I, we had discussed, at an early point; well, do they have dogs and cats and things like that? And we said, "No, no, no," let's not go there, 'cause that locks us into a whole Terrestrial-kind of like thing. We'll just avoid any mention of it. Nobody will even, like, register that we had "Chicken pie" the whole time, and in retrospect "Oh, I guess there are chickens".
—Ronald D. Moore, Miniseries audio commentary

Despite these initial reservations, the series eventually featured live animals prominently, including two dogs and a cat, along with brief appearances by rats and bats.

Taxonomic Organization

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Mammals

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Domestic and Companion Animals

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Romo Lampkin's cat, Lance (TRS: "The Son Also Rises").

Cats

Jake, a Landseer Newfoundland, on New Caprica (TRS: "Precipice").

Dogs

Livestock and Working Animals

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Bovines

  • Tauron Bulls are a sports team in the Twelve Colonies circa 58 BCH (42YR).
  • Sam Adama has a Tauron bull dashboard ornament in his car (CAP: "Gravedancing").
  • The presence of meat in the fleet strongly suggests Colonials raised cattle or similar bovines for food.

Equines

Other Livestock

Wildlife

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Bats

  • Seen flying from an abandoned warehouse (TRS: "Litmus").

Camels

Dolphins

Elephants

Gorillas

  • Mentioned metaphorically by Starbuck: "I'm gonna need some of those gorillas you call Marines" (TRS: "Sacrifice").

Jackrabbits

Monkeys

Otters

Panthers

Rats on Caprica (TRS: "Bastille Day").

Rats

  • Rats appear on-screen in abandoned areas of Caprica. Helo exclaims "Frakkin' rats!" upon encountering them (TRS: "Bastille Day").
  • Another rat appears in a Galactica storage area (TRS: "Litmus").

Squirrels

Tigers

Weasels

Birds

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Birds of Prey

Blackbirds

Chickens

  • Cami mentions having "chicken pie" for dinner (TRS: "Miniseries").
  • Colonel Tigh imitates a chicken while mocking Starbuck's callsign: "Starbuck-buck-buck" (TRS: "Miniseries").

Ducks

Geese

  • Colonel Tigh mentions "big goose eggs" (TRS: "Water").

Parakeets

Pigeons

Sparrows

Swallows

Turkeys

Vultures

Reptiles

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Pythons

  • Adama uses a python as metaphor: "Betrayal has such a powerful grip on the mind. It's almost like a python. You can squeeze out the thought, suffocate all other emotion until everything is dead except for the rage" (TRS: "Home, Part I").
Laura Roslin sees snakes during a chamalla-induced vision (TRS: "The Hand of God").

Vipers (Serpents)

Fish and Aquatic Life

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Betta or Guppy

Salmon

Sharks

Invertebrates

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Ants

  • Crashdown complains of feeling "like they have ants crawling behind their frakking eyeballs" (TRS: "33").

Cockroaches

Oysters

Plants

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Fictional Flora

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Chamalla

Fumarella leaf

Food Crops and Produce

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Fruits

A bowl of virtual grapes in a holoband simulation (CAP: "False Labor")

Vegetables

Nuts and Other Plants

  • Walnuts: Adama cracks walnuts while reviewing potential CAG candidates (TRS: "Home, Part I").

Medicinal and Flavoring Plants

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Algae

  • Mentioned as a potential food source. Tyrol references finding a "hot fudge planet" as alternative to algae-based meals (TRS: "The Eye of Jupiter").

Burdock

Cocoa

Coffee

Licorice

Narrative and Production Significance

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The gradual introduction of terrestrial animals and plants served multiple narrative functions throughout the series. Dogs, particularly Jake on New Caprica, provided emotional grounding and normalcy to resistance operations. Lance the cat humanized the enigmatic attorney Romo Lampkin, while the presence of familiar foods connected Colonial culture to Earth despite their separate origins.

Moore's initial hesitation proved prescient—the appearance of Earth-identical species raised questions about parallel evolution that the series never fully addressed. However, the naturalistic approach ultimately enhanced the show's accessibility and emotional resonance, allowing viewers to connect with Colonial society through familiar touchstones.

Official Statements

edit

In a December 28, 2005 interview with BattlestarGalactica.com, Ronald D. Moore addressed the potential for expanded animal appearances:

The presence of animals in the rag-tag fleet was something that came up in early discussions, but we kinda dropped it from the conversation as the year went on. I don't know if we'll ever get around to doing something in this area or not. It mostly depends on finding a story that supports it in some interesting fashion other than Gaeta finds a kitty. I don't think the Cylons are creating animals as we would define them, but they certainly see the Raiders and other craft as animals vis a vis their relationship with the humanoid Cylons.
—Ronald D. Moore, BattlestarGalactica.com interview

In an ironic footnote to Moore's comment, Felix Gaeta eventually encounters not a cat, but a dog and his water dish that becomes integral to resistance intelligence operations.

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