Ankylosaurus magniventris

Length: 28 ft
Height: 9 feet
Weight: 4 tons

## **Coloration:**

*Adult and juvenile (both sexes) -* Brown underbelly and dark gray back plates. The facial area is a reddish-brown color.

## **Diet:**

Low-lying vegetation including grass, ferns, fruits,
flowers, tubers, and even fungi. Ankylosaurus does not chew its food -
it is a fermenting herbivore, with a wide belly full of stewing meals
which it has swallowed whole.

## **Preferred Habitat:**

Ankylosaurus will live just about anywhere
with sufficient vegetation, although its huge bulk prevents it from
entering the denser forests and upland regions of Isla Sorna.

## **Social Structure:**

Solitary, although Ankylosaurus tolerates others of its kind in close proximity.

## **Description:**

Quadrupedal herbivore. Ankylosaurus is one of the
 most heavily-built animals on the island; the dinosaur equivalent of an
 armored tank. Its plated back is clad in scutes and spikes that keep
the animal safe even from the powerful jaws of giant predators such as
 Tyrannosaurus. Even its eyelids are armored. Ankylosaurus also wields a
 thick lump of solid bone the size of a beach ball at the end of its
powerful tail, serving as a deadly weapon. Juveniles lack the club and
their back plates have yet to harden.

## **Behaviors:**

Despite its formidable arsenal of weapons and armor,
 Ankylosaurus is a somewhat peaceful animal and will even tolerate
carnivores around it to a certain degree. If threatened however, it will
 produce a loud, rumbling bellow, swinging its tail in an attempt to
deter the attacker. Ankylosaurus has perhaps the strongest hips of any
dinosaur, and is therefore able to swing its heavy club with enough
force to shatter the femur or skull of a large predator. A well-aimed
blow could potentially disable the largest of carnivores, and even
pulverize massive trees. However, Ankylosaurus is not entirely
invincible - its soft underbelly is its most vulnerable spot. Flipping
one of these heavy, well-armored herbivores is nigh impossible, but when
 dealing with a particularly persistent predator, Ankylosaurus will dig
 its limbs into dirt or sand to protect its vulnerable underbelly and
throat.

Ankylosaurus is not particularly territorial, however when there is a
 chance for mating males will challenge each other by slamming their
powerful clubbed tails repeatedly into the ground while intermediately
bellowing at their rivals. If neither male is intimidated by this show
of noise and strength, they will stand side by side and proceed to shove
 and pound one another into submission. While their tough armor
protects their bones and organs, these contests can leave males bruised
 and disoriented, and vulnerable to predator attack.

As Ankylosaurus is a slow-moving animal, small birds are known to take
 refuge upon its broad carapace, sometimes even making nests between
the spikes. The birds are protected from their predators and catch
insects stirred up by the Ankylosaurus' movements, while Ankylosaurus
itself is barely aware of the presence of its riders except for when
the shrill warning shrieks the birds emit alerts it to the presence of
danger.

Ankylosaurus has poor eyesight, but it makes up for this with a
heightened sense of smell. Owing to its poor sight, Ankylosaurus is easy
 to spook and therefore does not cope well with sudden movements. As a
 result it can be a danger to small, fast-moving herbivores such as
Gallimimus and Dryosaurus, which vaguely resembles small, two-legged
predators. Slower moving herbivores such as hadrosaurs are less of a
problem, and in fact are beneficial to the Ankylosaurus for their better
 eyesight and loud warning calls. While Ankylosaurus may mingle freely
 with other large herbivores, it typically does not need the protection
 of a herd, nor does it have the brain capacity for complex social
interactions.

The female Ankylosaurus will lay her eggs in shallow scuffs of dirt in
 more forested regions, and she will refuse to leave while the eggs are
 incubating. Mothers are very protective of their young, and will
defend them to the death. The young lack the hard carapaces of the
adults and their tails lack the solid lump of bone, and thus they are
much easier to kill if predators are able to separate them from their
mothers. Unfortunately, this is not easy, as the scutelings walk
directly under the female's tail.

Ankylosaurus vocalizations include hippo-like grunts, deep, low tones,
 and deep bellows. The calls of the juveniles are somewhat higher in
pitch, and their distress calls resemble a pig-like squealing. This
sound is programmed to instantly bring the mother Ankylosaurus into a
fierce defensive reaction.