When we first discovered how to bring dinosaurs back to life, you can imagine how excited we were. We were already filling DNA sequence gaps with frogs, which gave us the scaly, featherless look of the dinosaurs we’re more familiar with…So we tried a couple of times to go further to see how they would manifest in terms of genetically-modified hybrids. Basically, this post is to explain that the Indominus Rex was not the first of it’s kind…
The Dilophosaurus we grew was one of the first examples of our more extreme genetic manipulation…It was one of the first DNA blood sources we found and we ultimately had the vision of the Park in mind, so due to its appearance, we reasoned that visitors wouldn’t really find it that distinctive from other species. One of our team actually called it a ‘Raptor with a crown’. We decided that this would be the first candidate for genetic hybrid testing. We turned to modern nature for inspiration. As a result, our primary transplant sequence came from a Frilled-Neck Lizard (also known as Chlamydosaurus), which gave our Dilophosaurus it’s distinctive neck frills. However, we also wanted to add an element of danger that no other dinosaur would have, for the thrills of the park visitors…Which is why our secondary transplant sequence came from a Spitting Cobra. We later discovered that when our Dilophosaurus’ spat venom, it was a thick, black, mucus which wasn’t very effective via contact or ingestion (a venom has to be injected, of course). However, our Dilophosaurus soon learned that if the venom was spat into the eyes, the prey would be blinded and disorientated. When Hammond found out that we decided to introduce the venom, he wasn’t best pleased. But it no doubt would have been thrilling for visitors to see our first hybrid take down prey nearly twice her size…they would have had to make sure the windows of the cars were rolled up, first…
As mentioned in this previous post, I would explain why the Bull Rex was not entirely to blame for his defeat…For our Spinosaurus was our step up from the Dilophosaurus…
When we discovered Spinosaurus DNA, we were amazed, as you can imagine, as even fossils of the animal were extremely rare (up until recently, the best remains were inadvertently destroyed during World War II). But even our DNA sample was very limited; the gaps in the sequence were much larger than others. We had no way of ensuring the resulting animal would be female. But after much more searching in Africa and Morocco, we couldn’t find any more amber samples…we didn’t want to waste what we had, so we made the decision to use samples from both the Spinosaurus’ nearest relatives; Baryonyx and Suchomimus…Both of which we had to keep male to avoid hormonal imbalance. Although, that latter point became moot as very early on, we found that the Spinosaurus we had bred (just the one), was much more aggressive than it should have been. Hammond was present at its hatching, like all the other animals, but we should have taken more note when the hatchling bit him as soon as he was picked up…His bite was incredibly strong for a newborn.
As it grew, we carried out more tests. This was the first dinosaur hybrid mixed with other similar predators, so it made for a fearsome youth. The DNA of three dinosaurs meant that this animal had more dense bones and muscle tissue than it should have…Strictly speaking, there was no hormonal imbalance, just higher-than-average hormonal levels. The shape of the skull was crocodilian, but the force of the bite, pound-for-pound, was fast overtaking that of the T. Rex, which we thought could not be possible. Studies later found that the size and bone structure meant that the actual Spinosaurs of the Cretacious would not have been able to hold their own weight on just their hind legs alone…Yet, there our hybrid was; high he stood. We took the Spinosaurus off the official list of animals that we had bred, as it was becoming too dangerous to have for the Park. This was the first time we truly felt we had created a monster…A super-predator.
As it grew up contained in a reinforced paddock, we commissioned an area of Isla Sorna to be cordoned off; our park technicians built a large stretch of reinforced fencing as one of the last projects we did with the funding we had. We then released our hybrid into that quadrant, hoping for the best as we evacuated the island before Hurricane Clarissa struck. From the accounts of Dr. Grant and the other 2001 survivors, I truly believe that the Spinosaurus could cause an extinction-level rampage on the island.
With Jurassic World, we limited ourselves to minor hybrid-based manipulation, such as the different influences for each of Owen Grady’s Raptors. But when the commission to create the Idominus Rex came through, we became numb. It was only achieved due to the fact that we had been successful in the past, but of course, ‘just because we could…’
HW
(NB: The Spinosaurus skeleton displayed at Jurassic World was not the animal that we bred, in case anyone was wondering. That was an actual fossil in which Dr. Grant assisted in finding…It was donated to us as a goodwill gesture. Our Spinosaurus still remains on Isla Sorna.)
((All images: Amblin/Universal))
