Raptors of LTL

Description
Velociraptors (actually engineered from the genes of Deinonychus) are among the most deadliest and the most intelligent of carnivorous dinosaurian fauna on Isla Sorna. Their jaws are lined with many sharp, serrated, teeth, and their grasping three-fingered hands are equipped with strong, sharp talons. A raptor's most infamous feature is an enlarged "killing claw" on the second toe of each hind foot, which resembles a scythe. The claw is capable of being swivelled in a downward, slicing arc - an effective slashing weapon- it is what makes the raptors such deadly and efficient predators.

When hunting, a raptor's claws are used in conjunction with its teeth to rip and tear into the victim's flesh, inflicting terrible wounds from which their prey dies a slow, painful death through bloodloss or shock. A raptor may also employ its claws as hooks to climb up onto the bodies of large prey in order to attack the neck region. In addition to its weaponry, raptors also have powerful hind legs which give them the ability to run at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour on open land and leap to incredible heights, as well as to issue powerful kicks to send its killer claw slicing through their victim's belly and spilling the intestines.

The brainpower of raptors rivals those of dolphins or primates, and so they are capable of co-operating in packs to bring down prey much larger than themselves (although when alone, raptors tend to hunt small dinosaurs, lizards and mammals). Raptors are incredibly adaptable, surviving anywhere from Jungles to Wetlands, and even taking up residence in abandoned InGen sites. They tend to live in hierarchical packs, with an alpha male and/ or female.

There are two main subspecies of raptor on Isla Sorna. Velociraptor "antirrhopus sornaensis" sensu Paul (or "Sorna" raptors) prefer to reside on the northwestern side of the island. The other subspecies are more common the southeastern section: Velociraptor "antirrhopus nublarensis" sensu Paul (or "Nublar" raptors). Occasionally both subspecies encounter one another, leading to competition or, more rarely, cross-breeding. Various mutations occur in both subspecies, scroll down to view the full list of known examples.

Both subspecies differ significantly in coloration, behaviour and differences to their skull structure. Sorna raptors exhibit more bird-like behaviour, and have prominent bumps or ridges on their snouts, which males use for display. The backs of males' heads are lined with several hollow quills. Nublar raptors appear more reptile like in facial structure, and lack snout ridges or quills. Both raptor subspecies are highly vocal, communicating with a variety of sounds including barks, chirps, hisses and screams. Sorna raptors are among the most vocal of Isla Sorna's bestiary, capable of communicating with over 2,000 different sounds.

Raptors care for their young together in nesting communities, in which all the adults of a pack will take turns in caring for one another's young, although the alpha's chicks are more likely to survive than the other chicks hatched in a pack. The chicks, while small and vulnerable, are kept in dens dug by the adults or other animals to keep them safe from large predators, and are fed on meat regurgitated by the adults. As the young grow, they begin to hunt small prey, such as lizards, mammals, and invertebrates. Both subspecies will ferociously guard their nests, and packs of Sorna raptors have been known to go to great lengths to retrieve any eggs or young that may have been taken by a predator. Indeed, a raptor may consider a chick as prey if it is not one of its pack (i.e. the scent is unfamiliar), but on rare occassions, either subspecies may attack and eat their own young during extreme hardships. Raptors thrive on Isla Sorna- they are perhaps the most common predators on the island aside from Compsognathus.

Velociraptor "anthirropus sornaensis"
Length: 12 ft (3.7 m) Height: 5 ft (1.5 m) Weight: 59 lb (26.8 kg) The first of the subspecies to be bred by InGen, the intelligence of these raptors match those of primates and dolphins, perhaps even more so. Unlike Nublar and Diablas raptors, which use sheer brutality and aggression to disable their prey, Sorna raptors are capable of formulating plans and utilizing their environment to their advantage in order to draw their prey into carefully layed out traps. It is believed that the reason why these raptors never reached Isla Nublar to be displayed in Jurassic Park is because their ability to work together in order to develop plans rendered them far too dangerous to be kept in captivity. The Nublar raptors, a slightly less intelligent subspecies, were bred in their place, while the sornaensis "reject" subspecies were simply released onto Isla Sorna.

Coloration and sexual differences
Female Sorna raptors' bodies are generally creamy white or a light shade of grey, with darker grey or black blotches covering the body. The males are grey-blue or grey-brown with a lighter underbelly, pale blue stripes running horizontally along each side of their bodies from neck to tail tip, and brown/red or black backs. The males' prominent nose ridges become red when they are sexually mature, and are used to attract females during courtship. Unique to raptors, Sorna males also have grey quills on the backs of their heads, which are capable of being flicked up and down during display, or to signal to others. Male juveniles have the same coloration as the adult male, although they lack the side stripes and their quills have yet to form. Female juveniles are also the same as the adult female, although they have brown blotches instead of black.

Velociraptor "anthirropus nublarensis"
Length: 13 ft (4 m) Height: 6 ft (1.8 m) Weight: 60 lb (27.2 kg)

The Nublar raptors were the second subspecies to be developed by InGen, and were brought to Isla Nublar to be displayed in Jurassic Park (unfortunately the females, led by "The Big One", managed to escape their confinement and cause havoc) while several others were released onto Isla Sorna after the project was abandoned. These raptors tend to be far more aggressive than their Sorna relatives, even towards their own kind. Their intelligence and social structures are parallel to those of wolves. Although they are not as intelligent as Sorna raptors, Nublar raptors still have the ability to solve basic puzzles, such as opening doors and testing weaknesses in fences. However they are not capable of using their environment to their full advantage. Nublar raptors have been known to kill for sport, and seem to take great delight in making their prey suffer. They are also the most likely subspecies to turn to cannibalism, especially when prey is scarce.

Coloration and sexual differences
Female Nublar raptors have mostly dull brown and grey mottled bodies, with faint striping and paler brown underbellies. The males are more vividly coloured, sporting an orange-red body with a cream or white underside. The males' bodies are lined with thin black or reddish stripes, like those of a tiger. The juveniles of both sexes have a pale brown, almost cream colored body.

Hybrids
Hybrid raptors do not occur often, since neither subspecies tend to interact with one other due to the fact their territories are situated on opposite sides of Isla Sorna. When they do encounter one another, they tend to fight rather than breed. However due to the success of both raptor subspecies, they are becoming more widespread and mixed packs are becoming more common.

Nublar+Sorna: Nubar+Sorna hybrids are hybrids that have a Nublar raptor for a mother and a Sorna raptor for a father. Males look like a normal Nublar male, but have pale red eyes, quills, and the side stripes of Sorna males. Females look like normal Nublar females, but they have the eyes and blackish markings of Sorna females.

Sorna+Nublar: Sorna+Nublar hybrids are hybrids that have a Sorna raptor for a mother and a Nublar for a father. Males look like a normal Sorna male, but have greenish eyes, lack quills, and have the characterisic reddish stripes of the Nublar male in addition to their side stripes. Females look like normal Sorna females, but their markings are brown instead of black.