Velociraptor

***Velociraptor*** (meaning "speedy thief" in Latin, commonly shortened to "raptor") is a genus of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur. One of a few species of dinosaurs to have been genetically recreated by InGen in the late 1980s, it is now one of the most familiar to the general public due to spread around large parts of the world and the danger it presents.

Raptors are approximately 2 m (7 ft) tall and 80 kg (180 lb) reptilian bipedal  carnivores with a long tail and an enlarged sickle-shaped claw on each hindfoot, which is used to tackle and disembowel prey.

Raptors range in colour from grey, brown, yellow and can be stripped or with no pattern. Rarely raptors have been observed to change colour like a chameleon. It doesn't matter what colour they are, they will mess you up.

Raptors are instinctive hunters and rarely pass up prey. They are known to kill even when they aren't hungry and will kill just for the pleasure of killing. They are agile, tireless runners and incredible jumpers. They have lethal weapons on each of their four limbs (a strong punch with one of the forearms can lacerate a man) and have powerful jaws that rip meat instead of biting it. They are also a lot more intelligent than other animals, probably including you.

They have distributed nervous systems and don't die fast, even with a direct hit to the brain. They're built solidly, thick ribs make a shot to the heart dicey, and they're difficult to cripple in the legs or hindquarters. Slow bleeders, slow to die.

## Scientific Classification

Despite several differences, most notably their large size, InGen identified the raptors as *Velociraptor mongoliensis*. A popular explanation is that they were actually *Achillobator*, a dromaeosaurid found in the same location as *Velociraptor*, Mongolia. However, it should be noted that both *Achillobator* and *Velociraptor* are found in different fossil formations; and were seperated from each other by exactly 5 million years in the fossil record, with *Velociraptor* living around 75-71 million years ago and *Achillobator* existing 93-80 million years ago  respectively. An explanation for this mistake is likely that InGen collected fossil material at great speed and quantity from around the world and so a classification error was made upon collection or during transit of fossil material. Equally possible is that InGen had no palaeontologists under their employment and so geneticists and other staff were far from experts in the once prehistoric animals they had created. A subsequent inquiry into the working of InGen found that work was being carried out at a fast and often reckless pace. Correct identification of the animals is unlikely to have been a high priority. Incorrect identification of the raptors and many other of InGens cloned animals is highly plausible.

Another explanation is that the present day raptors are genetically modified *V. mongoliensis*. Available records retrieved after the Isla Nublar incident show that Ingen has intended to make modifications to the dinosaurs, including making them slower for his proposed Version 4.4 because he felt that they were "too fast", which would fail to convince visitors due to them not being accustomed to seeing large animals move as fast as the clones. Other modern day cloned dinosaurs are known to have unintentional modifications such as the *Procompsognathus* having five digits on each hand instead of the four the natural prehistoric animal possessed.

The exact taxonomy of modern day raptors is likely to remain unknown due to scarcity of available dinosaur DNA and severe restrictions and controls on genetics research by the United Nations.

Scientific classification of raptors is considered highly academic and most serious research focuses on how to destroy them.

## Creation and Genetic Modifications

Ingen created several versions of cloned raptors, with version 4.4 being proposed at the time of the Isla Nublar incident.

Raptors are likely to have a number of genetic modifications, as discussed above, including increased size and more reptilian traits compared to their extinct relatives.

All extant raptors are descendants of InGen's versions 1.0-3.0 which have *rana* in their DNA, allowing them to change sex and breed. This genetic modification may also allow them to produce large numbers of offspring.

## Isla Nublar incident, escape and global spread

The raptors are thought to have the first dinosaurs to escape Jurassic Park. It is believed they found a hidden place to nest and the number of raptors rose quickly.

It is though that almost all of the raptors died in the napalm bombing of the island. However, shortly after the incident unidentified animals were seen in Costa Rica eating crops that were rich in lysine, most notably soy and agama beans. These creatures were seen migrating from coasts and into the jungle. It is believed dinosaurs, including raptors, had been migrating off of the island, by means of unintentionally stowing away aboard boats..

Since then raptors have increased rapidly in population and have seemingly lost their lysine dependence, perhaps through natural selection. Raptors have spread through both unintentional transport on trade ships and as escapees from research facilities and illegal private collections. Raptors are now prolific across most of the world where they are major pests and a threat to human life. They are highly adaptable to most habitat where they quickly eliminate and replace competing apex predators and deplete populations of large prey animals- significantly altering the ecosystem. They are major agricultural pests and cost the U.S. beef industry between $1.2 and $2.5 billion in annual revenue between 2015 and 2019.