Jurassic World - Evolution

Snuggle down and cosy up, for tonight you journey to a prehistoric time to explore the awe-inspiring world of the dinosaurs.

You find yourself standing in a large plaza filled with life-sized replicas of the most popular and best loved dinosaurs: Triceratops with its huge face shield and three horns, raptors with their intelligent eyes and aggressive stance and the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex - a formidable apex predator and king of all the dinosaurs.  They tower above you and you shiver at the thought of seeing these creatures in real life. Beyond the sculptures, you see the station from where you will take the train. You will be transported back millions of years to the age of the dinosaurs.

You walk towards the train. Above you a golden sun shines brightly in an intensely blue sky, streaked with wisps of pure white.  In the far distance, dark shadows soar amongst the clouds. They are too far away to see clearly, but in your excitement, you imagine they are Pteranodons: large-winged reptiles from the Late Cretaceous Period. But you quickly realise such formidable carnivores would not be allowed to soar freely in the open skies. With their huge nine-metre wingspan and enormous beak, none of the smaller dinosaurs would be safe if attacked.

Climbing aboard the first carriage, you are surrounded by glass on all sides including the roof. Each carriage carries a name plate. This one says EVIE.

You hear a familiar beeping that indicates the doors are closing, the train glides out of the station. There is no engine or driver in front of you to block your vision because this monorail is designed to run silently, hovering like magic over the single rail, driven by its huge magnets. You’re not scared, you’ve seen this before and know that the train is controlled from the Operation Centre.

The train takes you on a tour of all the key areas of the park. You observe the laboratories where fossils are examined, and where DNA is used to animate new dinosaurs. You spy the immense aviaries, high up amongst the hills, where the winged reptiles live. Then, elevated only metres above the surface, you pass over vast lakes surrounded by herds of dinosaurs: Ankylosaurus and Sinoceratops. Suddenly, to your surprise, the train descends into a glass tunnel taking you into an underwater world inhabited by the extremely rare freshwater ichthyosaurs. These dolphin-like creatures glide easily between the slender tendrils of the freshwater plants.

Emerging from the tunnel, the train enters an area of dense forest. Looking up through the glass ceiling you see the head of a brachiosaur tearing leaves from the branches overhead as it browses in the upper canopy.

The trees begin to thin, and you find yourself back at the station. You hear the beep again and the doors glide open. You alight from the train and follow a path that leads away from the built-up area.

The path leads you to the Cretaceous Compound. This is the area where the dinosaurs gather together before being escorted to their paddocks for the evening. The perimeter fence is quite low, and you have a clear view of the dinosaurs. To your delight you recognize a Dracorex because of its bony head.  Covered in spikes, it looks exactly like a mythical dragon. Its full name is Draconex Hogwartsia, a name that is familiar to you.

All of a sudden, the air is filled with a low, resonating bass note. It is so loud that the ground beneath you vibrates. Instinctively, you scan the compound until you find a large Parasaurolophus standing on its hind legs with its head held high. The sound is coming from the magnificent bony crest on its head. By forcing air through it, the Parasaurolophus communicates with others in the herd. You are captivated by this magnificent animal and are unable to look away.

Then, with no warning, you are distracted by a commotion on one side of the compound. Two keepers have burst through a gate in the perimeter fence and are running down the path towards you. One of them is holding a large net and they are shouting something at you, but you are too far away to hear them clearly. As you stare at them, your eye catches a glimpse of a brightly coloured shape zig zagging across the path ahead of the keepers. It’s a small dinosaur, the size of a large chicken, and it is running towards you. It is a Compsognathus, and it is a carnivore. Finally, you hear the shouting, you’re being told to wave your arms. You understand that to appear more threatening, and stop the tiny dinosaur, you will need to look bigger and more fearsome than the keepers. You boulder down the path, waving your arms wildly. To your astonishment the Compsognathus stops dead in its tracks and stares you in the eye. You are quite close together and although it is extremely small for a dinosaur, you can see the rows of razor-sharp teeth in its beak. You know that if you stay still for too long, it will attack. You wave your arms again more vigorously this time. To your relief it backs away a little and then, turning on its clawed feet, bolts in the opposite direction. The keepers are ready. You have given them time to close the gap and one lunches forward with a net. The tiny dinosaur is caught.

It takes a few moments for you all to get your breath back and for your heart to stop pounding in your chest. The keepers are very grateful for your help and explain that this particular dinosaur is very cunning and is always finding ways of escaping from its enclosure. They thank you again before they take the little tearaway back to its enclosure, but say you can stay for as long as you’d like.

As you watch the keepers disappear down the path you decide to find the Parasaurolophus again. You are keen to hear and see it again. But it’s too late. All of the dinosaurs that were herding had been taken back while you were helping catch the Compsognathus. You’re sad you missed them, but realise that you’re actually quite tired now.

This Jurassic world is lush, and vibrant and its air is thick with warmth. The dense undergrowth is inviting, and you find the softest patch of moss you’ve ever seen. It’s too much to resist, so you sit down and rest your back against an unfamiliar tree. You feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. Your eyes are as heavy as the air around you, and they slowly flicker shut. You drift away as you await your next adventure.

Suitable for all ages.
Narrated by Jamie Firth
Written by Chris Winson-Longley
Audio Editor: Ian Abraham
Edited and produced by Magdoos Media Limited

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