Raptor

*Utahraptor Prime is an extremely aggressive sub-species of Utahraptor found on the island. It tends to travel in small hunting packs, attacking smaller prey with its sharp teeth or enlarged foreclaws.*
*One of the faster creatures on the island, Utahraptor Prime often uses hit-and-run tactics against larger opponents. the large curved talon on the second toe of this sub species seems particularly suited for attacking while jumping.*
*Utahraptor Prime usually kill their prey with numerous slashing and leaping attacks in rapid sequence.*
*Domesticated*
*Despite it's normally aggressive nature, Utahraptor Prime has become one of the main mounts for roaming bands of raiders, as well as scouts for the larger collectives. Those who ride Utahraptor Prime claim they are difficult to tame, but are fiercely loyal once they are. As a carnivore, once tamed they require a steady stream of meat to sustain.*

The **Utahraptor** or **Raptor** is a swift carnivorous dinosaur found on the Ark. The Raptor can uncommonly be found in packs or chasing after a fleeing Parasaurolophus during hunting.

## Appearance

The Raptor is a relatively large dinosaur with feathers on the head, back, tail, and on the backs of the arms. They come in a variety of colors, although green and reddish brown seem to be the most common with black being rare.

## Behavior

Raptors will attack dinosaurs and players on sight. They attack with a "run-and-bite" strategy, making it difficult to defend against an onslaught. A dangerous predator to encounter in the dark, Raptors are nearly impossible to fend off when attacking in packs and aided by darkness. The Raptors often attack from different directions, using this method to take down prey while avoiding damage. Due to their high speed, they are hard to flee from during a player's early levels, and it is advised to make for deep water if attempting to flee an attack or run behind a door and immediately shut it.

## Domestication

Knocking a Raptor out can usually be done by two head shots with tranq arrows(depending on your melee damage). Raptors can be tamed (varying on taming already done by player) by feeding them around 30~40 Raw Meat, and 40~50 Narcoberries (or around 10 Narcotics). A tamed raptor has an attack style similar to the Dilo's, though they are larger, faster, tougher, and more powerful. Raptors are well suited for hunting in a pack, it is highly suggested to tame 2 or more. They are able to be ridden once a saddle has been crafted (obtainable through engram points once player reaches level 15).

Having a small group of tamed raptors can be a huge advantage to the player early on, able to faceoff against a Carnotaurus.

Raptor lay eggs, which are the main ingredient in the preferred kibble of the Mammoth.

## Location

Raptors can be found throughout the island, but are most commonly found around beaches and river areas.

## Eggs

Raptor's eggs (which its now hatchable) are primarily black with red spotting. Taking an egg within the area of a wild Raptor will result in aggro (though to be that close they would probably already have you in their sights).

## Leveling statistics

* Level 1

* Level 2

## Trivia

* Argentavis can pick up and carry Raptors.
* Raptors often kill themselves by attacking stronger herbivores. Some herbivores can even take out whole packs.
* The name of the Utahraptor means originally approximately "Utah plunderer".
* Raptors can be seen as the mascots of Ark. They appear in much of the promotional artwork and in one of the in-game holiday events.

### Trivia not relevant for the game

* At 4.5 meters long, the in-game Utahraptor is smaller than the real dromaeosaur which could reach up to 5.7 meters.
* Like many other Dromaeosauridae it is believed that Utahraptor did not use its sickle claw as a slashing weapon, but rather for stabbing. This is due to the very thick profile of the claw. Dromaeosaurs such as Utahraptor, Velociraptor, and Deinonychus likely used their claws to puncture arteries and even organs to cause internal bleeding, killing the prey quickly due to blood loss. They may also have used their sickle claw to hold onto their prey while using primarily their hands and teeth to deal injuries.

* The species of Utahraptor ostrommaysorum was first studied and named after the release of the movie Jurassic Park, in which a similar dinosaur was erroneously called Velociraptor. The actual Velociraptor mongoliensis was about the size of a large turkey, and have only been found in Mongolia. The dinosaur from Jurassic Park was being excavated in the Badlands of Montana, while Utahraptor ostrommaysorum was discovered in the Dalton Wells Quarry of east-central Utah.
* Despite the Raptors in ARK being identified as a species within the genus Utahraptor, the skull seen in its dossier is of Velociraptor rather a member of the subfamily Dromaeosaurinae, which Utahraptor belongs to. The Raptor's in-game model, however, resembles Deinonychus.
* The Raptors in-game are depicted with only a few feathers, unlike what paleontologists now know they looked like.