Dinosaur Zoo: Ornithopods

Jurassic World has many attractions to visit. Our Dinosaur Zoo, located south of the hotels and east of the Visitor Center, hosts a variety of "smaller" dinosaurs. 
The zoo's largest enclosure is located at the centre and gives home to three dinosaur species. They all belong to the clade of Ornithopods, plant eating dinosaurs that come in a variety of sizes. All our Ornithopods' DNA has been filled up by that of one animal: the chuckwalla. The reason for this is that chuckwalla's are herbivores too. DNA from as well male as female chuckwallas has been used so our dinosaur species each have a unique colour scheme coming from the mix of their own incomplete DNA and that of the modern day reptile.

 Othnielia


Length: 2 - 2,5 meters.
Wheight: 10 kg.
Time period: Late Jurassic.
Diet: Plants
Name meaning: Named after its discoverer Othniel Charles Marsh.

A dinosaur that had already been cloned by Ingen in the early 90's during the build of Jurassic Park, the original park on Isla Nublar that due to the 1993 incident never got opened to the public. Their dinosaurs were scaly because of added frog DNA and the park's scientists who had to make the animals look like creatures the public was familiar with. 
Our scientists aimed for current day accuracy, but even they were amazed by how the animals looked like when the first hatchlings came out of their egg. Protofeathers were a possibilty, but the way our Othnielia looked reminded them of another dinosaur species whose fossils were found in Russia in 2010: Kulindadromaeus, a relative of Othnielia.

Our Othnielias live together with two other ornithopods: Dryosaurus and Camptosaurus. Othnielias live sort of individual in their enclosure and don't seek much contact with their congeners. Except around the food (where they eat together or pick up the scraps of the larger Camptosaurus) and our little pond there is interaction, but most of the time these little herbivores mind their own business. They spend most of the time on the ground close to or in the bushes and can sometimes be seen climbing onto the lower branches.


 Dryosaurus

Length: Up to 5 meters.
Weight: 70 - 80 kg.
Time Period: Late Jurassic.
Diet: Plants.
Name meaning: Tree lizard.

Although the name comes from the first theory about Dryosaurus' lifestyle (living in trees) this dinosaur lives on the ground out in the open.
This dinosaur also had been cloned by Ingen for Jurassic Park, but of course their version didn't look like the real animal too. Dryosaurus has, just like its little cousin Othnielia, protofeathers though only over its back. Its blue colours are likely to be used for communication: when one of the Dryosaurus notices something and looks up, the others will notice it because of the blue head and do the same to help spotting the danger. Also they sometimes spread their arms or move them in certain ways to which the others respond. 
In contrary to Othnielia, Dryosaurus stays together in small groups all the time. 

 Camptosaurus

Length: 7- 7,5 meters.
Weight: Up to a ton.
Time period: Late Jurassic. 
Diet: Plants.
Name meaning: Flexible lizard. 

The largest inhabitants of our Dinosaur Zoo. Camptosaurus is unique for Jurassic World because it had never been cloned before. 
Of this medium sized herbivore, we have three specimens. They are easy to recognize by their red neck. 
These gentle creatures are comparable with large cows, but one has to be careful: on their hands they sport a thumb claw which was used as defense in the wild, though they won't hesitate to use them when they just don't like a situation. Staff threats them with respect and always keeps a safe distance. Luckily our Camptosaurus don't get agitated by their little neighbours, most likely these three species lived together back during the Late Jurassic.

Although Camptosaurus is the largest ornithopod (and animal) of Dinosaur Zoo, we have even bigger ones out on the island. Come spend a day with them in our Prehistoric Safari.