A
Anthony Milhorn
Guest
A few pages from Dr. MacGregor's recovered journal:
Field Notes #8 - 09/11/17
Damn those dilophosaurs! They are small but lethal. A pair of them cornered us on the platform. Before I could even react, I heard their shill owl like cry as they opened the frills on the sides of their tooth lined mouths and I heard the characteristic wet hocking sound as they unleashed their primary weapon: acid venom. Much like a spitting cobra, they spit once they corner their prey, aiming for the eyes to blind and impair so they can move in for the kill. This helps compensate for their relatively small size (which by the way is another oddity; the fossil record of dilophosaur shows it was at least ten feet tall and there was no evidence for venom or a frill yet the ones on this so called ARK possess both. Engineered perhaps or maybe evolution gone wild?)
Terri managed to swat one of them away, slicing it from neck to belly but its pack mate unfortunately managed to land a hit on me. Right on the upper chest. Their venom is disgusting; greenish-black and sticky like tar. If not promptly washed away, it can temporarily paralyze and even permanently blind its target. Terri again saved my life just as the dilo was about to close its jaws on my head like a ripe fruit. She swiped it so hard it came in two and both halves flew well off the platform.
Stumbling, I managed to get Terri to guide me to the water below the platform. Stripping off the shirt and gloves I had made from hide, I dove into the cold depths and managed to wash off the venom from myself and my clothes.
I'm sitting now, by the fire, the skin of my chest and right shoulder sore, and inflamed from the poison. Thankfully, it will pass. I think Terri and I should be cautious as darkness falls.
Damn dilos. Damn them all.
Field Notes #9 - 09/11/17
While waiting for the inflammation to go down, I laid down on top of the cliff's edge and took out my spyglass. Looking through it, I managed to observe one of the island's more interesting predators: A fully grown carnotaurus (carnotaurus pressor).
As far as theropods go, its a medium size animal, not quite as large as a tyrannosaurus but bigger than a utahraptor. They stand about 10-13 feet high and usually run about 26 feet long as adults. They have a set of thick stubby horns set above their eyes and while they are bipedal they have a set of forelimbs, which I must admit are almost comical. They are tiny compared to its body, and they are usually held close to the chest. There is no way they could be of any use except perhaps in mating, similar to the palps and flippers of some marine animals.
Even snakes have vestigial limbs. If the forelimbs of the carnotaurus were any shorter, they would be vestigial. Comical forelimbs aside, the carnotaurus is truly a lethal beast. Its name means "meat eating bull" and it lives up to that moniker. When it spots its prey, it will wait in ambush until the perfect moment. When ready, it will launch itself from cover, using its amazing speed to run down its food. It will often run with its head lowered, horns facing outward, ramming larger animals to stun them before setting upon them. I would estimate that I've seen some run at close to 30 to 35 miles per hour.
For an animal that weighs in excess of 6,600 pounds, 35 miles an hour is blazingly fast.
I've also seen them hunt in pairs of two. While not the most powerful, their speed and strength in their jaws make up for their relative small size. I've wondered, can I tame one of these beasts and if so, how?
Some of the plant species here, the black berries in particular, are potent narcotics (I learned that the hard way when I first woke up weeks ago). I wonder if I could compound them into some kind of tranquilizer that I could use to knock out one of them and them perhaps condition its responses like Pavlov and his dogs?
Flights of fantasy probably but I may try soon.
Field Notes #8 - 09/11/17
Damn those dilophosaurs! They are small but lethal. A pair of them cornered us on the platform. Before I could even react, I heard their shill owl like cry as they opened the frills on the sides of their tooth lined mouths and I heard the characteristic wet hocking sound as they unleashed their primary weapon: acid venom. Much like a spitting cobra, they spit once they corner their prey, aiming for the eyes to blind and impair so they can move in for the kill. This helps compensate for their relatively small size (which by the way is another oddity; the fossil record of dilophosaur shows it was at least ten feet tall and there was no evidence for venom or a frill yet the ones on this so called ARK possess both. Engineered perhaps or maybe evolution gone wild?)
Terri managed to swat one of them away, slicing it from neck to belly but its pack mate unfortunately managed to land a hit on me. Right on the upper chest. Their venom is disgusting; greenish-black and sticky like tar. If not promptly washed away, it can temporarily paralyze and even permanently blind its target. Terri again saved my life just as the dilo was about to close its jaws on my head like a ripe fruit. She swiped it so hard it came in two and both halves flew well off the platform.
Stumbling, I managed to get Terri to guide me to the water below the platform. Stripping off the shirt and gloves I had made from hide, I dove into the cold depths and managed to wash off the venom from myself and my clothes.
I'm sitting now, by the fire, the skin of my chest and right shoulder sore, and inflamed from the poison. Thankfully, it will pass. I think Terri and I should be cautious as darkness falls.
Damn dilos. Damn them all.
Field Notes #9 - 09/11/17
While waiting for the inflammation to go down, I laid down on top of the cliff's edge and took out my spyglass. Looking through it, I managed to observe one of the island's more interesting predators: A fully grown carnotaurus (carnotaurus pressor).
As far as theropods go, its a medium size animal, not quite as large as a tyrannosaurus but bigger than a utahraptor. They stand about 10-13 feet high and usually run about 26 feet long as adults. They have a set of thick stubby horns set above their eyes and while they are bipedal they have a set of forelimbs, which I must admit are almost comical. They are tiny compared to its body, and they are usually held close to the chest. There is no way they could be of any use except perhaps in mating, similar to the palps and flippers of some marine animals.
Even snakes have vestigial limbs. If the forelimbs of the carnotaurus were any shorter, they would be vestigial. Comical forelimbs aside, the carnotaurus is truly a lethal beast. Its name means "meat eating bull" and it lives up to that moniker. When it spots its prey, it will wait in ambush until the perfect moment. When ready, it will launch itself from cover, using its amazing speed to run down its food. It will often run with its head lowered, horns facing outward, ramming larger animals to stun them before setting upon them. I would estimate that I've seen some run at close to 30 to 35 miles per hour.
For an animal that weighs in excess of 6,600 pounds, 35 miles an hour is blazingly fast.
I've also seen them hunt in pairs of two. While not the most powerful, their speed and strength in their jaws make up for their relative small size. I've wondered, can I tame one of these beasts and if so, how?
Some of the plant species here, the black berries in particular, are potent narcotics (I learned that the hard way when I first woke up weeks ago). I wonder if I could compound them into some kind of tranquilizer that I could use to knock out one of them and them perhaps condition its responses like Pavlov and his dogs?
Flights of fantasy probably but I may try soon.
