Doug Jones talks about his species in EW

[In Thy Image]

Traditionally in Star Trek, for the Federation to consider first contact, a species must have invented warp drive first - it's the marker of a civilization ready to enter the galactic community.

Perhaps Saru was saved from his native planet. Like Enterprise D saved Tasha from Turkana IV. Perhaps off-world Kelpiens are more technologically advanced.. There are many possibilities.

 

[tenmei]

Difference there being Turkana IV was a failed Earth colony (and I guess you mean Ishara, or Stargazer as opposed to Tasha and Enterprise D) - not removing an indigenous life-form from his own planet.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

I've always retroactively reasoned that they were perhaps contacted by other warp species first, and so the Federation didn't need to follow first contact protocols to the same extent - i.e. Kalar being in the Rigel system right next to several warp species.

True. Even if we want to hold fast to the rule "Federation contact should only be done with warp-capable species" (which TOS did not strictly adhere to, but that is beside my point), there is no reason that Saru's people could have simply been contacted by another warp species prior to that 2nd species joining the Federation -- or maybe that 2nd species is not Federation at all, but a neutral world known to the Federation, but not part of the Federation.

Saru's people may be known to that non-Federation warp-capable world, and that non-federation world is know to the Federation -- and thus Saru's people is known by the Federation (and vice versa) through association.

 

[Ganderplus]

It's Star Trek so the predator species probably isn't a simple carnivore, but maybe something noncoporeal.

 

[Kelso]

It'd be cute if the Kelpians were indigenous to Qo'nos.

 

[The Librarian]

It'd be cute if the Kelpians were indigenous to Qo'nos.

Well, if anyone didn't get the "food that talks is not food" memo, it would be the Klingons.

 

[RAMA]

https://twitter.com/startrekcbs/status/895728294611492864

Saru

 

[Refuge]

A lot of complaints about region locking, sigh. It passes the time when you can't view the link either

 

[RAMA]

A lot of complaints about region locking, sigh. It passes the time when you can't view the link either

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXn_6whAN8C/

 

[Refuge]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXn_6whAN8C/

Thank you RAMA, I appreciate that.