Reading Teddy Roosevelt's "Through the Brazilian Wilderness" is an interesting experience, not just for the way we get to see more or less untamed frontier territory through the eyes of a 19th century explorer, but for his many notes and observations on the species he encounters and their habits.

He notes in particular that the same sorts of animals might have different prey and entirely different survival techniques depending on their location. Panthers, for example, were in most places harmless to people, but in one region they made a particular point of hunting humans. He tells us about how they didn't bother posting a watch in a certain area, and were awoken by a panther killing and dragging away one of the party members!

It's a great technique to apply to games and writing of all sorts, whether you're talking about wyverns, dragons, aliens, or wolves. Taking your characters by surprise with unexpected attacks or other behaviour from previously harmless creatures lends any campaign a wonderful depth of flavour.

This can easily be added to by giving regional variants distinctive colours or patterns in their hides, odd sizes (unusually large or small), making them more friendly, or any one of a number of different distinctions. So regionalise your campaign's challenges to give them a unique flavour today!