Kikanalo

"Kikanalo. They eat plants, when they can find them. They are very big and powerful, and their stampedes are frightening... but they're mostly harmless."

- Balta, Island of Doom

Kikanalo are large, herbivorous herd Rahi.

History
The Kikanalo species was created by the Makuta using Viruses and Liquid Protodermis to populate the Matoran Universe.

Large herds of these creatures lived in Po-Metru on Metru Nui. When the Assembler's Villages would cease production for the day, these herds would stampede through the canyons, churning up pieces of Protodermis in the soil with their tusks. These pieces were later salvaged by Po-Matoran Carvers, and they welcomed the presence of Kikanalo near their encampments, despite the fact that sometimes the Rahi destroyed villages. During the Toa Metru's mission to find and rescue Toa Mangai Lhikan, a stampeding herd of Kikanalo interrupted a conflict between the Toa and the Dark Hunters Nidhiki and Krekka. As Vakama and Matau took refuge from the oncoming herd, Nokama remained in the middle of the canyon and used her Kanohi Rau to communicate with its leader. Through that link, she and the other Toa Metru were able to cooperate with the Kikanalo, who offered to carry the Toa on their backs to the Prison of the Dark Hunters. When the Toa and Dark Hunters clashed again, the Kikanalo used their sonic roars to defeat the Vahki Zadakh stationed at the prison.

The Metru Nui population of Kikanalo started to drop when the Visorak conquered the city following the Great Cataclysm, as the Kikanalo were too proud to run or hide from the spiders, preferring to challenge them instead. These clashes usually ended with the Kikanalo losing. By the time the Visorak invasion was over, Metru Nui's Kikanalo population was near extinction.

A very small population of Kikanalo later migrated to Po-Wahi on Mata Nui, but later returned to Metru Nui after Toa Takanuva's defeat of Makuta Teridax.

Kikanalo lived on the Southern Continent as well. Piraka Hakann annihilated a herd on Voya Nui with a mental blast.

Soon after Teridax's death, most of the remaining Kikanalo migrated to the reborn Spherus Magna along with the Matoran Universe population and many Rahi.

Abilities and Traits
Despite the fact that Kikanalo appear frightening, they are usually gentle Rahi. While they were once dismissed as dumb beasts, after Nokama communicated with these Rahi it was accepted that the Kikanalo are actually quite intelligent. They are the only type of Rahi that are not considered enemies of Catapult Scorpions, as the scorpions eat the Protodermis the Kikanalo dig up.

However, the Kikanalo are more than capable of defending themselves. Stampeding over foes is a common defense as well as jumping high up in the air and landing on the enemy's head. If the Kikanalo are still pursued, they are able to unleash a powerful sonic roar that can blow enemies away; though it can also be used for other purposes. For example, they used this to seal off the Toa Metru's path so that Nidhiki and Krekka could not follow them.



==Appearances ==


 * BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui


 * BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui


 * Comic 23: Vengeance of the Visorak


 * Comic 27: Fractures


 * BIONICLE 3: Web of Shadows


 * BIONICLE Legends 1: Island of Doom


 * Federation of Fear (Mentioned Only)


 * BIONICLE: Metru Nui - City of Legends (Mentioned Only)


 * BIONICLE: Rahi Beasts


 * BIONICLE: Encyclopedia (Mentioned Only)


 * BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated (Mentioned Only)