- For other uses, see Ch'kariya.
A chkariya (or ch'kariya) was a small burrowing animal lifeform, a mammal native to the planet Vulcan. It resembled a Terran weasel, with pale skin, sparse hair, and two large forepaws with six razor-sharp claws which it used to climb and dig. These burrowing animals were active during the day, often foraging for food to maintain a high metabolic rate. Chkariya relied largely on plant roots for nourishment, but also ate fruit, carrion, and the occasional small animal. (ENT novel: Surak's Soul)
The chkariya were a favorite animal to interact with at nature preserves, as they were friendly enough to take pieces of fruit from a person's hands. (Last Unicorn RPG module: The Way of Kolinahr: The Vulcans)
In 2093, a ch'kariya killed a kal'ta plant belonging to T'Pol's family. The five-year-old T'Pol trapped it, intending to release it the next day, but did not give it enough food and it died that night. The incident served as a reminder to T'Pol to avoid causing harm to other living things. (ENT novel: Surak's Soul)
Later, in 2270, Amanda Grayson suspected the creatures being responsible for damaging her garden and had tried to lay a trap to catch the suspected culprits. (TOS novel: Demons)