Mountain Velociraptor
"A third tribe of Raptor took the mountain for their territory. A leaner, tougher breed, quick, living on birds and tiny lizards.”
~John Hammond
Species:
Velociraptor sp.
Common Name:
Mountain Velociraptor
Family:
Dromaeosauridae
Seen in:
• Jurassic Park Trespasser (1998)
Vocalizations:
Description:
"Carnivore, pack hunter, about two meters tall, long snout, binocular vision, strong dexterous forearms, and killing claws on both feet."
Robert Burke's description of Velociraptor during InGen's expedition on Isla Sorna in 1997 is an apt summary of this stunning predator. Velociraptor is a dromaeosaurid that once inhabited the arid Flaming Cliffs of what is now China and Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous. It was an agile biped capable of rapid sprints.
According to the fossil record, Velociraptor was a small feathered dromaeosaur, just about reaching a human waist in height. It had a narrow snout and winged arms—evidenced by the presence of quill knobs. The Velociraptors cloned by InGen sport no feathers and reach nearly two meters in height. These clones have large grasping arms and boxy heads. A wide variety of distinct Velociraptor strains have been identified, most of which have their own unique traits and behaviors.
The Mountain Velociraptor, or “Tribe C” Raptor as some call it, is a possible third tribe of Velociraptors that may have lived on Isla Sorna during the 90s. The evidence of their existence is scarce, making this breed dubious and its current status unknown, much like the Forest Velociraptor. These Mountain Raptors are known for their exotic vivid colors, sporting vibrant tones of yellow and dark brown, almost black stripes along their bodies, alongside a colorful orange that bleeds through parts of their necks and torso.
Size Estimates:
1.65m Tall 4m Long
Alpha: 3.3m Tall 7.6m Long
Did you know?
In Trespasser’s Script, Hammond talks about the containment of the Alpha Female in a holding area sometime in 1988, possibly the holding pens near the Administrative Complex.
Habitat & Geographical Ranging:
Living up to its name, the Mountain Velociraptor tribe took the highest mountains of Isla Sorna as refuge, those located southeast of the Island. Perhaps being the tribe with second biggest population, their territory was quite expansive, extending down Mount Watson nearby the abandoned Mayan Ruins and coastal Sequoia Forests. At some point in the late 90s, their population would suffer from a severe decrease for unknown causes. It is unclear if the tribe is still active on Isla Sorna.
Individual Variation:
Unlike its sister strain the Forest Velociraptors, the Mountain Velociraptors do have known variation among individuals, a quite odd one at that. The vast majority of specimens seen sport the typical yellow body colors, followed by their black stripes and orange highlights. However, one individual in particular poses something never seen in Velociraptors before.
The Alpha Female, known to inhabit Mount Watson, is a rare case of gigantism in Jurassic Park. This individual grew significantly bigger than any other Velociraptor known in the record, reaching a height comparable to that of an Albertosaurus. This Female would also vary in color tones, being entirely reddish, with dark brown stripes all over its body and a black face. Her eyes vary every so slightly, with a mixture of red and white surrounding a slit pupil. The origins of this Female remain unknown, with no documents that indicate it being an Ingen project, or merely a genetic accident.