Jurassic Park is a classic ’90s film, and its sequel series Jurassic World is just as captivating. As fun as these movies are to watch, they aren’t the most accurate source of dinosaur knowledge. There are a few notable things the Jurassic Park series got wrong about raptors, so allow us to dispel those myths and provide some dino truths.
They Hunt in Packs
In the movies, the raptors are strategic and work in groups to track down their prey. This makes for some incredible scenes, but real velociraptors most likely didn’t use complex communication to hunt in groups. In fact, they didn’t hunt in pods at all! These dinosaurs were early ancestors of birds, crocodiles, and Komodo dragons, so it’s more likely that they hunted alone, just as these modern creatures do.
While it’s unlikely these beasts hunted in packs, scientists are still unsure whether they lived in groups, like what we see in the movies. It’s possible raptors lived beside one another, but they probably didn’t engage as much as they did in Jurassic Park.
They Were All Scaly
Another thing Jurassic Park gets wrong about raptors is that they were scaly beasts like the modern lizard. Instead, these dinosaurs actually had feathers. It’s hypothesized their feathers helped them regulate their body temperature and improved their running tactics. These speedy beasts needed aerodynamic bodies, and scales alone don’t provide this. With feathers, however, they could chase down prey or run from bigger predators more efficiently.
They Were Human-Sized
In Jurassic Park and Jurassic World, the velociraptors—like Blue—appear nearly human height as the characters stand beside them. As interesting as this is on the screen, it isn’t an accurate portrayal. Real velociraptors were around half a meter tall, making them closer in size to a large dog or wolf than a human adult. Of course, with those razor-sharp teeth, bumping into one would still be a terrifying encounter.
Jurassic Park’s Real Raptor
The velociraptors shown in the Jurassic Park franchise are much closer to the Deinonychus, a cousin of the velociraptor. This dinosaur was approximately the size of a horse, just like Blue and the other velociraptors shown on the big screen appear to be.
Moreover, scientists assumed the dinosaur hunted in groups when paleontologist John Ostrom uncovered a fossilized group of Deinonychus in 1964. Jurassic Park’s velociraptors inherited this trait from the beast they truly resemble.
Fuel Your Dino Love
Creative Beast Studio sells accurate velociraptor figures that are perfect for dino lovers of all ages. Nothing’s better than a realistic-looking figure, especially when it comes to prehistoric creatures. Find your new favorite figure today to show off your love and knowledge of velociraptors!