There is something missing from our world; the amazing animals that time has left behind. But what if we could bring them back? What if extinction didn't have to be forever?
We're going back in time on a safari with a difference as wildlife adventurer Nigel Marven and animal enthusiast Fluttershy plunge into prehistory to rescue creatures on the brink of extinction. Their plan is to bring them back to the safety of the present and give them a second chance.
On their very first mission, they hope to rescue one of the last of the dinosaurs from the most dramatic extinction ever.
Welcome to the ultimate wildlife sanctuary. Welcome to Prehistoric Park.
The South African sun was high in the sky as dozens of workers toiled and labored, erecting stockades and laying the foundations for wooden, stone, and metal fences.
It's a big day at Prehistoric Park. Throughout this huge reserve, everyone is busy preparing for the first arrivals.
"Come on, lads, quick as you like. Can you get those wires through that pole at the bottom of the paddock?" boomed a deep voice with a Scottish accent. One man stood out from the rest; the headkeeper who oversaw the progress made. He gave specific orders as the construction crew carefully ran wires through rows of large, 15-foot-tall metal poles sticking out of the ground. Thick layers of concrete and metal supports already connect the poles, but these wires will add reinforcement and channel an electric grid to ensure that whatever will live behind this fence cannot get out.
They're almost finished building the enclosures for everything from giant insects to dinosaurs.
"Remember, check everything, 'cause it's home to a dangerous creature." The head honcho was careful that no detail was overlooked. The park sat nestled within the confines of a beautiful valley of rolling hills and high cliffs, stretching as far as the eye can see.
If Nigel can make extinct animals feel at home anywhere it's here.
"The natural geography will help us contain the animals," said Nigel, pointing out various features and landmarks on his map. "There's the ocean to the south, and to the north, there's a mountain range. Everything I need in terms of habitats: there's savannah and lakes, there's forests and deserts, there's rivers, there's even a waterfall as well as artificial snow fields. Perfect environments for keeping prehistoric animals."
All they need now are the prehistoric creatures themselves.
The zoologist strolled through the halls of the Natural History Museum, its exhibits full of various fossils celebrating the prehistoric past, especially those of dinosaurs.
One day, Nigel plans to breed extinct animals in captivity. But at first, he’ll only bring a few of each species back, to see how they adapt to life in the 21st Century, before establishing breeding pairs.
Amidst the fossil bones and skeletons, one in particular catches his eye. Looming over him was the towering skeleton of a massive dinosaur, jaws lined with rows of sharp teeth.
And Nigel knows exactly what he wants to start with. The one they call “the king of dinosaurs”: Tyrannosaurus rex!
Back in Prehistoric Park, Nigel arrived at his bungalow, wasting no time in getting his expedition underway.
He's already figured out when and where he'll have to go to track one down.
"The most widely accepted theory about why dinosaurs became extinct is that a meteorite smashed into the Earth. This is a map of the Earth 66 million years ago. This is where the impact was, somewhere here in Mexico. You can still see the crater today. Around that time there were masses of T-rex here, somewhere in Montana, and we need to go back there to find them."
But Nigel’s not going alone. Joining him is animal enthusiast Fluttershy, a young student from Canterlot High. To travel back in time is something too good for her to pass up.
"I’m actually really excited to travel back to prehistoric times!" said Fluttershy looking at the camera as she was interacting with a rescued family of thylacines, otherwise known as the Tasmanian tiger. These and a herd of quaggas are the first extinct creatures to be brought into the 21st century. "There are so many possibilities. Who knows what creatures we might encounter? I met up with Nigel not long ago, and he had this idea of bringing extinct animals to the safety of the 21st century. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. How could I say no?"
To rescue the last of the T-rex, Nigel and Fluttershy are going back to the very end of the age of dinosaurs, as close to the meteorite impact as they possibly dare.
Once the coordinates were placed, it was time to hit the road. Riding in the Land Rover, the duo drove through the transparent wall of the time portal, ready for the adventure that lay ahead.
"Cretaceous period, here we come!" Fluttershy exclaimed cheerfully as they disappeared through the veil of time.
Montana, 66 million years ago...
"Whoa..."
Nothing could prepare Fluttershy for the sudden change of scenery.
66 million years ago, Montana looked very different from the semiarid Great Plains state of today. In the Late Cretaceous, it was one of 4 states containing the famous Hell Creek Formation. This is a world where grass is rare, where swamps and floodplains dominate the landscape. Here T-rex is king. Now all Nigel and Fluttershy need to do is to find one. In a place with so many potential dangers, Nigel and his team know the sooner they accomplish their mission, the better.
"I just hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew, we've got so little time," said Nigel, addressing the cameraman. “There's some wonderful forest over there, perfect habitat, and I think that's where we'll begin our search for T-rex." To a nearby crewman, he asked, "How's it going here?
While the team began to pitch tents and set up camp, Nigel and Fluttershy took the opportunity to explore the nearby conifer forest for any trace of their quarry. Cycads and ferns grew in abundance, and some of the conifers and monkey puzzles grew more than a hundred feet in the air. For the longest time, the explorers traveled in silence.
T-rex is a monster. At a staggering 41 feet and nearly 9 tons, it shouldn’t be too hard to track down one of the largest predators to ever walk North America.
As they continued trekking in the forest, distant cries of various animals could be heard.
What they’ll do when they do find one isn’t exactly clear.
As they ventured, more animal sounds could be heard, and soon sounds would not be the sole proof of their existence.
T-rex are not the only creatures around.
As Fluttershy nervously looked around, she spied something on the forest floor.
"Hey, Nigel. Check this out," she said, summoning the attention of her companion. "This must be a trackway of some sort."
The English naturalist looked around for more clues, his eyes handing on a small bush. "And look - you can see here these leaves have been nibbled, these twigs have been snapped off, there's been a vegetarian browsing here." Analyzing the trackway further, Nigel beamed. "And look at this, the first evidence of dinosaurs. It's hard to see, but you can see this footprint here. Three toes. This is the classic theropod dinosaur–"
"That's the same family the T-rex is in," Fluttershy interjected.
"Stand on two legs, they're bipedal. It looks like there's a whole group of them here, not as big as T-rex of course, and vegetarians, you can tell by the leaves that they've eaten. And they've gone this way." Nigel deduced.
"This is a big trackway, there has to be quite a lot of them.” the pink-haired girl observed. "And they've gone down this way. C'mon!" Fluttershy eagerly followed the trackway, her initial fear gone, replaced with excitement.
It was all Nigel could do to catch up. "Fluttershy, wait up!"
Their hunch is right.
The time-traveling duo trekked further, coming to a stop in a wide clearing.
"Shhh. Nigel. That bush is rustling." the pink-haired girl whispered, pointing to said bush.
"And this is what normally happens when you're searching for reptiles: you hear them before you see them, hidden scurrying away through the bushes," said Nigel. "They're still moving around there."
Fluttershy was ecstatic to say the very least. "These could be our very first dinosaurs."
The foliage continued to rustle until it gave up a tall, ostrich-like creature, eying the duo of strange creatures with curious beady eyes.
"Are you seeing the same thing I am?" said Fluttershy, utterly amazed.
"Struthiomimus." Nigel quickly identified the animal as it slowly came out of hiding. "I've seen the fossils of its cousin, Ornithomimus, in museums."
"If I remember my Latin correctly, Struthiomimus means 'ostrich mimic'," stated Fluttershy.
"You can see why. Just exactly like an ostrich." Nigel noted as the Struthiomimus lightly bobbed its head. "Let's see how close we can get."
The duo had barely approached five paces when the Struthiomimus sounded a piercing shriek and charged them, startling the strange mammals and forcing them back. As it did this though, it revealed its entire body. It was covered in emu-like feathers, except on its neck, head, hands, and feet, which were covered in blueish-grey and leathery-grey scales respectively.
"That went right through me!" Nigel shook.
"That was both a warning and a mock charge," Fluttershy replied, heart hammering. "And check it out!" As Nigel looked to where Fluttershy pointed, they were in for a surprise: out of the underbrush, dozens upon dozens of heads shot up in response to the dinosaur's call. Soon the entire herd had appeared from the forest.
"All the others are all looking up. He must have been the sentry," noted Nigel. "The others are looking at us now, heads popping up all over the place."
"Like daisies!" the pink-haired girl exclaimed, drawing a blank look from her peer.
"They're vegetarians," the English naturalist informed the camera crew.
"But I don't think they'd turn their beaks up at the odd insect or bit of meat," Fluttershy replied, as in that moment, one of the ostrich dinosaurs plucked a scorpion in its beak and devoured it.
“And they're completely the opposite of what you'd imagine a dinosaur to be like." she continued, who was like a kid on Christmas morning. She was more than thrilled to come face to face with creatures that she had only previously known from books and fossil bones, now in the flesh. Living, breathing animals.
“For starters, they’re covered in feathers,” Fluttershy said, pointing at a few individuals. “Some of them have blue feathers on their arms and head, while the others are completely grey. This is likely a case of sexual dimorphism. The males have these brighter colors to attract females and to compete during breeding season. And I can confirm that these guys are warm-blooded."
"This is terrific," the naturalist remarked. "Our first dinosaurs."
Satisfied that these strange creatures were not a threat, the flock of birdlike Struthiomimus returned to the business of foraging for food.
Sadly, these Struthiomimus will soon be extinct, too, unless, of course, Nigel and Fluttershy can save one.
"I'd love a breeding herd of Struthiomimus," said Nigel, addressing the camera crew, "but we need a technique for catching them." Then it occurred to him. "And I think this will work. I've done it with ostriches. Hey, Fluttershy. Do you have any socks on you?"
Fluttershy dug through her backpack until she found what she was looking for. "Way ahead of you, Nigel."
"Thanks. And what you do is you slip a sock over their head. As soon as you cover their eyes, they calm down."
"But if Struthiomimus are anything like ostriches, they can run at 50 miles per hour." said Fluttershy skeptically, before letting out a nervous gulp. "and... they could have a powerful kick, and the claws on their feet could likely disembowel someone like me or Nigel. Ostriches have been known to kill lions, and cassowaries are considered the most dangerous birds in modern times because of how powerful their kicks and sharp claws are."
"However, unlike ratites, these things have claws on their wings." Nigel countered. "There's so many in this herd, if we can get in their midst there will be a commotion and hopefully, I can grab hold of one of them."
The flock of Struthiomimus foraged along the clearing, some browsing the foliage while others were pecking the ground, unaware of the two humans slowly creeping towards them.
"On my call." Nigel cautioned, getting closer by the second. "Wait for it. Wait for it..."
Some of the birdlike dinosaurs were starting to get nervous.
"Now!"
The duo sprang into action, racing into the midst of the startled flock which took off in fright. Amidst the confusion, Nigel had managed to wrangle a single individual while Fluttershy cut off any possible escape routes. It took the strength of both of them to hold the struggling dinosaur still enough for Nigel to attempt placing the sock over its head.
The Struthiomimus was nearly subdued and blinded when they heard a noise, loud and ominous like the rolling thunder.
But now there's something else to contend with, something much, much bigger.
Just as suddenly as they fled, the flock of Struthiomimus dashed back the way they came, stampeding straight towards them. Amidst the pandemonium, the duo released their catch to rejoin the group, scurrying as fast as their long legs could carry.
"Something's chasing them," Fluttershy observed, watching the fast-moving dinosaurs fleeing in panic. Then the earth began to tremble. A great crashing in the undergrowth could be heard and the trees shook, before three gigantic shapes emerged from the foliage, thundering straight towards the two!
It looks like some T-rexes have found Nigel and Fluttershy before they could find them.
Blaring roars filled the air as the three Tyrannosaurus came to investigate the strange creatures in their midst, their formidable jaws towering over twelve feet above them.
"No sudden moves," Nigel whispered to the animal enthusiast... until he realized that the space she had once occupied was now empty. He turned in time to see Fluttershy running the hell out of Dodge.
“CAPITAL ‘F’ THAT, NIGEL!! RUN!!!”
Suddenly, the English naturalist bolted after her, with the tyrannosaurs hot on his tail!
Now on the run, Nigel took a glance behind, then wished he hadn't; all three of the massive theropod dinosaurs were now giving chase with open jaws! He quickened his pace. Ahead of him, Fluttershy raced deeper into the forest, weaving around the trees.
"This way!" he heard Fluttershy urging.
Nigel and Fluttershy do have one advantage. T-rex is so top-heavy, that if they trip, the fall can injure or even kill them.
The duo duck under a fallen tree, narrowly escaping the snapping jaws of one of the voracious carnivores.
And a bite of the two isn't worth the risk.
"Down, mate! Get down!" Nigel urged Fluttershy, pulling her out of the tyrannosaurs' line of sight. The T-rex trio meanwhile, roared their frustration over their snacks slipping away.
"That was a close one. Too close." panted Fluttershy, her heart still hammering.
"Predators don't like confined spaces like this. And that's why the T-rex are staying back there, I'm sure," said Nigel.
"And I don't think they chased after us because they saw us as food or a threat, but it was because we ran. That likely triggered their chasing instinct; all predators have it. They also likely did it out of curiosity. They could have eaten us had they caught us, but I doubt that was their goal when they first saw us."
"In that case, I think I speak for us both when I say what we ought to do now is head back to camp." said the pink-haired girl once they've both caught their breath. Nigel agreed without objections. The two explorers retraced their steps back to camp; they had enough excitement for one day.
Day One is over and there's no T-rex to take home. At least there's no sign of the meteorite, either, but it can't be far away.
The next morning...
The following morning, the camp has some visitors.
When Nigel straightened up from washing his face in the lake adjacent to the camp, the sight that greeted his astonished eyes was a huge herd of horned dinosaurs, many as large as elephants and covered in bright lime green scales, with red stripes on their backs and blue stripes on their frills, drawn to the water's edge by food and drink. And in a nearby clearing was an incredibly large sauropod, browsing from the tallest trees. It had reddish-brown skin, with black patches, and vaguely resembled a Brachiosaurus – however, its head lacked the distinctive bump, and it had armor plates running along its back.
More creatures are in the last throes of their existence.
"Fluttershy! Come look at this!" The young teen came running at Nigel's call.
"What is it, Nigel?" asked Fluttershy before she spotted the herd. Her eyes flew wide open. "Whoa... Now that's an amazing sight to wake up to: A big herd of Triceratops.”
Nigel nodded. "This is a tremendous sight. When the fossils were found, they named these Triceratops horridus. It means 'horrid three-horned face'. But how could they? They are gorgeous! And they look more like the prorsus species than horridus.”
“And big, too! Eight tons." Fluttershy then pointed to a very large individual that stood out among the others. "And one over there, it's a big male, is at least nearly 28 feet, eight and a half meters long.”
Nigel soon turned his attention to the titanic browser.
“And as for the sauropod, it looks like it's an Alamosaurus. That seems impossible since no fossils of its kind have been found here in Montana. I guess this fella must’ve been separated from his herd during a migration.“
“The good thing for us is there are a lot of Triceratops, they're prey animals for T-rex," Fluttershy replied, before pointing along the edge of the lake. "Speaking of which, I've seen some tracks over there. Prey and predator attracted to waterholes."
"Let's go follow the tracks and see if we can find a T-rex lair." Nigel decided, at last, to leave the lakeside behind.
With Fluttershy leading the way, the duo boldly went where few creatures would tread, following the trackway that led uphill and over rocks.
The footprints are fresh, and it looks like a well-used track. While not a sprinter like in the movies, T-rex could still reach nearly 16 miles an hour when they needed to. The average human? Barely 13.
The duo continued to follow the massive three-toed footprints.
Nigel and Fluttershy are hoping these ones aren't too far away.
Before long, the single trackway was followed by several more. Their quarry was not alone.
"Check this out," said Fluttershy as she stooped down to analyze the soil on this part of an alluvial plain. "The tracks are really beginning to tell a story: There’s a depression in the soil. That was from a big tail sweep."
Nigel was quick to catch on. "There was a kerfuffle here. Another tail drag over there."
"The tracks are going on. Maybe we're getting towards the center of the territory." Fluttershy deduced, picking up her pace. Nigel quickly followed.
What they don't realize is they're actually already in the center of their territory!
The duo heard the T-rexes long before they saw them, and approaching the next ridge, Nigel froze in his tracks. "Crouch down! Get over here!" he urged quietly.
At least five of the monstrous predators were congregated in the crater, its floor littered with white bones bleached in the blazing sun. Fortunately, the tyrannosaurs were oblivious to the presence of the humans hidden nearby, staying downwind of the theropod's advanced olfactory senses.
"This is their home." Nigel deduced. "You can tell by the bones scattered all over the place."
"They obviously bring food back here," Fluttershy noted as she watched the tyrannosaurs engaging in their daily routine, most notably a younger pair wrestling one another with open jaws.
"That's terrific!" whispered Nigel. "That kerfuffle back there, that must have been the juveniles fighting over scraps of food."
It's a dangerous play. T-rex have huge jaw muscles, giving them a bite 20 times more powerful than a lion’s and a thousand times more than that of a saltwater crocodile!
"And there's males and females here."
The animal enthusiast nodded. "In the fossil record, tyrannosaurs have been found together. That's a clue that they were sociable animals. And they're almost like a gang looking for trouble."
The young rexes continued sparring, only halting when one of the older animals roared their displeasure.
"They really interact," said the English naturalist thoughtfully. "I wonder if they hunt in packs."
Fluttershy shuddered at the thought. "Just when one T-rex was bad enough."
Over the ridge, all activities in the crater were called to a halt upon the bellow of the largest Tyrannosaurus, a robust female who promptly lumbered away. The others fell into line.
"They're leaving," whispered Fluttershy as she and Nigel crouched lower to avoid detection as the predators were only a few yards away, the earth shaking with each footfall.
It's one thing to find a T-Rex, but it's another thing to take one home. Fortunately, dinosaurs lay eggs and they're a lot easier to carry.
With the gang out of the picture, the threesome entered the crater. "We can go and have a look now," said Nigel. "See if you can find any eggs or a nesting site." Fluttershy nodded, and the duo split up to cover more area, leaving no stone or bone unturned in their search for dinosaur eggs.
Amongst the remains of the T-rex victims littered across the den, Nigel finds what he's looking for.
Unfortunately, he's too late.
Before Nigel's feet was a broken eggshell the size of a football. Fluttershy soon joined in, her search also fruitless. "They've either been broken into by a predator, or more likely, they're last season's eggs." said the Englishman, inspecting the fragment.
Fluttershy heaved a sigh and turned to the cameraman. "This is so disappointing. If we could’ve found a fresh nest, got the eggs, and taken them back to Prehistoric Park, that would’ve been the easiest option."
But just as they’re about to leave, there’s rustling in the nearby bushes. Coming out of one are two mammals that looked like a cross between an otter and a Tasmanian devil. The creatures were largely grey, with white on the belly and snout and black on the back, limbs, and tail.
“Didelphodon. It's a marsupial found in the area." Fluttershy said before the nearest snapped at her, causing her to yelp.
"Mean little buggers, aren't they?" Nigel snorted, "Best be careful; if I recall correctly, it was big enough to eat baby dinosaurs."
Fluttershy smirked, "I've got an idea."
The plan was to leave a trail of insects, leading up to a large pile – the two mammals followed the trail and, once they reached the end of it, Fluttershy had set a pet carrier with some grubs inside.
They have never seen anything like it before. For them, they seem like a den of some sort. And inside, there is a juicy loot.
So the animals venture inside the trap. Suddenly, once the Didelphodon are inside, the cage closes shut, trapping the animals.
"We have to go," warned Nigel, picking up the cage. "The T-rex gang could be back any minute." Fluttershy nodded her agreement; they could easily be added to the boneyard if the predatory dinosaurs found them in their lair.
"At least we know where they live." chimed Fluttershy optimistically. The duo reluctantly retraced their steps back to the way they had come with their mammalian catch.
Another day and they're still no closer to saving a T-rex.
Twilight in Late Cretaceous Montana, and the duo were back at camp. Above them, shooting stars raced across the night sky. Unfazed by this phenomenon, the creatures of earth carried out their routine, business as usual. But for everyone present, it was a bad omen.
And up above are the first signs that the meteorite is closing in. Streaking across tonight's sky are shooting stars. Huge boulders are entering the Earth's atmosphere at 20,000 miles an hour. They’re the precursor of something much, much bigger.
"Look at this cosmological activity. Those are meteors," said Nigel, seated on his outdoor folding chair by the fire as he addressed the cameraman. "They burn up in the atmosphere, but they're in the bow wave of the meteorite."
Nearby, Fluttershy stood a bit away, observing the cosmic phenomenon from a tripod-mounted telescope. Presently, she looked up from her observations, and added, "And the meteorite, when that comes, it's gonna smack into the Earth. That's the problem. And we're running out of time." After disassembling the telescope, she walked over to the fire and joined her companion, taking a cup of cocoa offered to her by Nigel.
"I'm hoping tomorrow goes better and we can save a T-rex or two," said Nigel optimistically.
"Here's hoping," Fluttershy replied before the two clinked their cups together, ready for the challenges of tomorrow.
The next day...
The next day, the pack of T-rex turn up, looking for trouble and breakfast.
Five Tyrannosaurus appeared over the rise, surveying the lakeside from their vantage point. Their predatory advances had not gone unnoticed by the Triceratops herd gathered by the water.
It appears that Triceratops are on the menu today.
The once peaceful lakeside became a bedlam of bellowing, roaring confusion as the horned herbivores prepared to face their hereditary foes. The alamosaur, however, continued to browse on the high foliage.
Alerted by the commotion, the duo arrived on the scene, staying a distance away and out of sight.
Before long, the tyrannosaurs made their charge, advancing on their prey with open jaws!
"Here they come!" warned Fluttershy.
"Right in the midst of the herd there!" cried Nigel. All was complete and utter chaos as the panicked ceratopsians charged in all directions, some of them splashing along the shallows, with the giant theropods in their midst, peering over the stampeding pandemonium.
"They're trying to scatter the herd to find the weakest members," said Fluttershy grimly as the carnivores continued their melee, testing the herd for any weakness.
A fully-grown Triceratops is far from defenseless.
Many of the horned dinosaurs stood their ground, facing their ancient enemies head-on, displaying their vibrant frills and keeping the tyrannosaurs at horn's length.
Their frill is made of solid bone. Unfortunately, its' frill doesn't offer as much protection as one would think. It's the horns, however, that are the biggest threat. Triceratops' horns are also made of solid bone and covered in several layers of keratin, making them stronger. One strike from them can be devastating.
"Head on, there's nothing more menacing than the frill and horns of an angry Triceratops," said Fluttershy, witnessing this ancient face-off between two mortal enemies that was destined to be forever immortalized in the countless centuries to come. "And the colorful frills on the Triceratops are like giant billboards that say: 'I'm bigger than you. I'm one meal that's not worth the trouble, so back off!'"
"A fight could lead to serious injury or even death," Nigel noted. "Both can hurt each other, and both know it. So the rexes will steer clear of the adults."
But the younger Triceratops know better than to stand their ground.
In their blind panic, some of the horned dinosaurs ran straight towards the spectating humans!
"Run!"
The duo ran like never before, with half a dozen frightened ceratopsians bearing down on them. As Fluttershy quickly jumped into the Land Rover, Nigel had to jump and sidestep to avoid being trampled or gored. The Triceratops stampeded headlong into the center of camp, flattening tents and flipping over the Land Rover– "Ahhh!"– and Fluttershy along with it. The damaged vehicle was sent tumbling several yards before somehow landing back on its wheels.
Fluttershy groaned as she emerged from the wreckage, wobbling a little as she regained her feet.
POP! went the airbag.
Fluttershy took a moment to inspect the damage. She did not like what she saw. "Oh, the girls are gonna kill me!"
But car insurance became the last thing on her mind when she saw a figure lying on the sunbaked earth. "Nigel!"
Fluttershy quickly rushed to aid the fallen adventurer, who was battered and bruised but none the worse for wear. "Nigel, are you okay?" Fluttershy asked worriedly as she helped her friend to stand. The Englishman gratefully accepted.
"I feel like I've been hit by a train." Nigel groaned, miraculously standing on his feet as if nothing happened at all.
The lakeside was filled with the terrifying roars of the T-rexes and the bellows of the fleeing trikes. Amidst the confusion, a baby Triceratops was separated from his parents and was now running blindly.
This baby Triceratops has run the wrong way.
Blinded by fear, the baby Triceratops blundered right into the path of the large female T-rex! The monstrous predator quickly seized the opportunity and grabbed the youngster by the left flank, causing it to squeal in pain and terror. The humans could only look on helplessly. This was the law of the wild, established from the beginning of time. They could not interfere.
The more it struggles, the more trouble it's in as the T-Rex's 12-inch, thick & conical, serrated teeth sink deeper and deeper. But luckily, help is here.
Alerted by the cries of the youngster, an adult female Triceratops, presumably the mother, came charging to her baby's rescue, charging straight for the T-rex!
Nigel was the first one to catch the action. "There's a Triceratops here fighting back the big female T-rex." The ceratopsian managed to gore the predator's left leg, forcing her to drop her prey who immediately bolted after the others. Maddened by the pain, the Tyrannosaurus howled with rage as she faced her new enemy.
"The horn's gone right into the upper thigh!"
The two giants clashed, fang and claw against horns and frill. The Tyrannosaurus tried to end the fight quickly with a bite to her enemy's neck. But several quick jabs from the trike’s horns kept her at bay. Another attempt, but the herbivore's bony frill deflected her aim as a sideways sweep forced her jaws back. The injured tyrannosaur roared her frustration as the Triceratops retreated a safe distance to rejoin her baby, badly hurt but alive.
As the Triceratops herd rallied against their enemies, the other tyrannosaurs quickly turned tail and abandoned the hunt.
Fluttershy was the first one to notice the predators falling back. "Where are the males going?"
"They've just left her! They've just skedaddled!" said Nigel as they watched the predators disappear over the horizon. It seemed that the greatest predators ever to walk the earth had met their match.
So much for the pack!
The Triceratops herd too were fleeing from the scene of carnage, leaving the injured T-rex alone on the lakeside.
Now the injured female has to make her own kill, and it looks like she’s spotted her next victims: another youngster and the Alamosaurus.
The Tyrannosaurus approached a stand of conifer trees. Separated from the herd and hidden in the foliage was a stray youngster. Nearby, the Alamosaurus continued feeding, completely unaware of the attacking Rexes earlier.
Sensing danger, the young herbivore crouched behind one of the legs of the Alamosaurus in a futile attempt to hide from the approaching T-rex. But the ravenous T-rex lumbered closer and closer, jaws salivating, teeth glistening like daggers. The sauropod soon noticed the female and bellowed, rearing up on its hind legs to make itself bigger and swinging its long tail that could deliver a powerful whip.
This is an extremely dangerous animal for even a T-rex to take down. But for the duo, it's the chance they've been waiting for. Nigel sets up the time portal.
Nigel inserted two small poles into the ground at least thirty feet apart. "So what's the plan?" inquired Fluttershy.
"Maybe we can get three dinosaur species for the price of one." he reasoned. "If we can lure the Triceratops and Alamosaurus through the time portal...come on...and then maybe the T-rex will follow."
Nigel waved his vest like a matador with a bull, trying to get the dinosaur’s attention. The stubborn herbivore did not know what to make of these strange and noisy creatures at first and refused to move. That was when the T-rex approached just a stone's throw away, poised to strike.
Seeing the incoming Tyrannosaurus, the herbivore and the longneck ran, charging straight into the time portal.
The Englishman just narrowly escaped being skewered by one of the panicked Triceratops's horns. "Aagh! Come on!"
"I think it's working!" cheered Fluttershy before a loud roar brought them back to their present situation. Soon, the duo followed the herbivores’ lead and ran back for the safety of the 21st century.
"Come on, T-rex." Nigel beckoned as he and Fluttershy soon followed her quarries, disappearing into the wall of light. But the carnivore simply stood and stared at the portal in confusion.
Back in the 21st century...
The time portal gave a rhythmic hum as it came to life at one end of the park's observation pens, a large stockade of towering wooden walls made to contain animals from a bygone era until a permanent home could be established in the park. From his place on the elevated walkway, the headkeeper had his eyes on the wall of light, awaiting whatever would emerge from the time portal. He wouldn't have long to wait as a four-legged horned dinosaur and a long-necked titan came barreling into the stockade.
"Well, those certainly aren’t T-rex!"
But, both weighing in at thirty-six tons, a young male Triceratops and an adult Alamosaurus are a great start. It's not long before news spreads that Prehistoric Park's first dinosaurs have arrived.
The ceratopsian and sauropod were then corralled in a wide holding pen where they would be contained for the time being.
The park's vet, Suzanne, heads over to take a look for herself. Joining her are the rest of Fluttershy’s friends.
The seven peered into the holding pen, hardly believing their eyes. A living, breathing Triceratops and Alamosaurus! Rainbow Dash was speechless. "Whoa... those—those are dinosaurs!"
Suzanne was ecstatic. "It's a Triceratops! It's a Triceratops and Alamosaurus! They’ve done it!" The veterinarian had seen and treated all creatures great and small, but caring for long-extinct animals would prove to be a rewarding challenge. The vet did a double take on the paddock's occupants. "Our first dinosaurs and look at them. They’re magnificent."
Park-keeper Bob is anxious to move the newcomers into a secure enclosure as soon as possible.
Just outside the stockade, a transportation truck was slowly backing into position, ready to transport the prehistoric arrivals to their new home.
Although they were both unexpected arrivals, Nigel thinks they've got the perfect place to put them.
At Nigel's base, the zoologist was coaxing a boa constrictor lounging on the thatched wall. "Come on, I need to have a look at that. Up you go." With the snake out of the way, he now had a perfect view of the park map. "Triceratops and Alamosaurus - our first dinosaurs. We need a good place to keep them. I’m going to call them Alan and Theo. They’re great names. But they need vegetation to browse on." He gestured to the far right of the map. "Over here there's too much grass." His finger soon turned in the opposite direction. "So, Bob's found the perfect spot, down here by the river. That's where their enclosure will be."
Just then, Fluttershy darted into the room, excitement etched on her face. "Nigel, I just got word from Applejack and Twilight! They're about to unload them!"
"Just a moment," said Nigel, placing a piece of paper and pin on the map. "There!" Triceratops Creek, the paper said. The Englishman had barely finished when a hand practically dragged him out of the bungalow. "Wa-hey!"
Driving on the still damaged Land Rover, the pair drove to the newly established Triceratops Creek enclosure where park keeper Bob was expecting them, along with the rest of her friends. Close by, the crew was making all the necessary preparations for unloading the ceratopsian and longneck in their new habitat.
"How are you lads?" greeted Bob as the duo pulled up.
"Thrilled to bits," Nigel replied as he stepped out of the vehicle. This was the beginning of a dream coming true.
Fluttershy was next to step out, albeit less excitedly. "Sorry about the Land Rover, Applejack," said Fluttershy sheepishly.
“Wh-what in tarnation happened to it?!” Applejack yelled in shock.
"It sort of got wrecked during a Triceratops stampede," Fluttershy explained nervously, while Spike, Rainbow, and Pinkie dropped their jaws looking at the damage the Land Rover had taken.
"Just drive it over to the workshop so we can fix it," said Sunset as she wrote down yet another item on the docket.
"Our very first dinosaurs." declared Nigel proudly, and the Equestria Girls quickly gathered to witness the moment of truth.
"It's short notice, but I forgive you as our new visitors are magnificent, to say the least." the keeper had to admit.
"How's the enclosure?" Nigel asked.
"It's a bit makeshift, but it'll do for the time being."
"I've given them a name as well. Theo the Triceratops and Alan the Alamosaurus"
Bob nodded. "Theo and Alan. Good name." To his crewman, he ordered, "All right! Let ‘em out!"
The holding gates had barely been opened when thirty-six tons of caged fury charged out of the truck, eager for the taste of freedom. Once settled, Theo began to fill his maw with the surrounding shrubbery while Alan browsed on the tall treetops.
“They seem really happy with this habitat," Fluttershy observed.
"How come Theo’s not eating the grass?" asked Rarity.
"Grass is no good for dinosaurs. It was still rare when they were around." Twilight answered.
"And Triceratops aren't like black rhinos," said Fluttershy. "They don't browse. They would’ve grazed like bison. They need low shrubs, bushes, and ferns. There's plenty of those for Theo here."
"And that beak can snap off branches as thick as my arm," added Nigel.
"Yeah," Pinkie remarked. "Theo’s chewing on twigs like they're chocolate-covered pretzels!"
The English naturalist smiled. "This is gonna be great for them to thrive." The pair re-embarked on the car to take it to the workshop for the necessary repairs.
For Theo to grow to eight tons, he'll have to spend most of his life eating.
As the humans left to tend to work elsewhere, the Triceratops and alamosaur were content to browse the greenery of their new home, fully at peace. Whilst Alan seemed fine with being on his own, the park was making plans to bring back more at some point.
With the park's first dinosaurs settled, Nigel turns his attention once again to T-Rex. And the pressure's back on Bob to finish off the enclosure.
"I didn't have a clue how to build a compound for a Tyrannosaurus rex," Bob said to the film crew while overseeing progress with the paddock. "I've only seen one in a storybook, but Nigel thinks this will do. There's lots of area to run around, lots of shade to get out of the sun. And if it wants to, it can stand up on the hill and survey its domain."
The enclosure will have to be finished soon because Nigel and Fluttershy are on their way back to where they left off... 66 million years ago. And this time they've promised to return with a T-Rex.
To be continued...