The River Griffin: The Eel River's Flying Beauty

The Eel River of Northern California has different species of aquatic life such as the Coho Salmon, the Rainbow Trout, and the Pacific Lamprey which falls prey to the only Western species of Griffin: the River Griffin. The River Griffin is the river's only top predator along the banks of the Eel River and will sometimes eat smaller animals such as muskrats and minks if they can't find any fish. Unlike the Mongolian and African Griffin, they aren't afraid of humans and will sometimes steal fish from fishermen. In description, the River Griffin ranges in colors similar to an Osprey and have a fishing-styled beak such as the heron rather than a birds of prey like other species of griffins. They don't have any talons which is very unusual but, can slash thanks to their feline-like claws. The most heavily populated area of where to find the most River Griffins can be found in Mendocino County, California. The way River Griffins hunt fish is by flying along the river, searching for prey with their powerful eyes, and once they find a suitable prey. They swoop down from the air and catch their prey with their beak. The River Griffin, surprisingly, dislike getting their feathers wet which enables them to fly. Their favorite treats are red wine and dark chocolate. River Griffins can be trained and can be raised in captivity.
The illustration above is a map of the Eel River which leads from the Pacific Ocean in which lampreys have originated from and are the River Griffin's favorite snack.