Prehistoric Park: Steve's journal

The Stampede

12:00 AM Prehistoric Park time

I was at Prehistoric Park when it happened. I was filming the Ornithomimus herd, and then the ground started to rumble. The huge stampede thundered in, and there was nothing that could stop them. Unless they got scared, again. Scrambling to Terrence's and Matilda's paddock, I opened the latches. The Tyrannosaurs were lose, and started to chase the herd. Terrence and Matilda chased the herd to the elephant enclosure, but were chased off by Martha the mammoth, the elephant herd, the Triceratops, and the Elasmotherium.

12:30 AM Prehistoric Park time

Bob is yelling at Nigel as they eat their lunch. Nigel is reckless a lot, and this time he went too far. We were all eating our lunch when, waiting for the news. The park can't close, we have too many previously extinct species here, including Pikaia, Haikouicthys, Anomalocaris, Opabinia, Dimetrodon, Pulmonoscorpius, Arthropleura, Meganeura, Microraptor, Dongbeititan, Onchopristis, Spinosaurus, Deinosuchus, Tyrannosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Triceratops, Torosaurus, Ornithomimus, Stenonychosaurus (which we called Troodon), Didelphodon, Quetzacoatlus, Titanoboa, Ambulocetus, Leptictidium, Phourusrhacos, Smilodon, Mammuthus, and Elasmotherium. There are too many creatures here for it to be shut down. Nigel comes back with bad-ish news after a while: we can only bring back creatures that are shorter than 2 metres, or 7 feet. The whole crew is disappointed that we can't bring back any more big creatures, but Nigel is super happy. He says that he has a plan to get a collection of human ancestors, and make a human evolution exhibit. We already have Pikaia, Haikouichthys and Dimetrodon, so we have a start. I feel like this is going to be interesting.

1:00 PM Prehistoric Park time

Nigel has gathered us all to his study, now that we finished our lunches, where there are drawings of three animals up on his board. He explains to us that these are Acanthostega gunneri, Itatodon tatarinovi, and Archicebus achilles, all short enough. He explains that they are the first tetrapod, first mammal, and first primate respectively. First we are going to catch some Acanthostega, so we better get some gear.

1:30 PM Prehistoric Park time

We have everything we need to catch the Acanthostega. We have the mini-portals, portable fences, bait, and remote-control amphibious vehicles. The plan is to set up the fences so that the Acanthostega can't escape, and then we will drive the RC AVs  with bait into the present, and the Acanthostega enclosure that just is being built now. It is a big deep pond connected to the waterfall littered with small islands of mud. The Acanthostega were primarily aquatic, so we also have a second group with fishing  rods, nets, and coolers full of water is going to catch some as well. First we need to go to eastern Laurentia (which is now Greenland and Canada), to see some the populations.

2:30 PM Prehistoric Park time

This is the boring stuff that we always cut out of the Prehistoric Park episodes. We've started shovelling, and already one of has slipped and fallen. Nigel is on a trek in Laurentia trying to find a pond. He is sour about falling into prehistoric swamps twice, so he insisted that he would go out alone. Nigel has a very strong personality, and is always pushing his limits and getting better at things.  Meanwhile, we're pushing dirt around, leaving mounds all throughout the pit we have dug. These will become the islands. Our habitat planning team is very skilled and have made accommodations for all of the animals at Prehistoric Park. They will make sure that the environment is as close to the actual thing as possible.

3:00 PM Prehistoric Park time

The pit is finished and now water purifiers are being buried at the top the mounds. Because the water in the amphibian enclosure is stagnant, the mud islands will have purified water. After all of the water purifiers are installed, water is poured into the pit. We scramble off to equip our film gear, and fishing supplies.

3:30 PM Prehistoric Park time

The enclosure and its islands are all finished up, and Nigel found a prehistoric pond with some Acanthostega. He has also brought back rotting plants, which he saw the Acanthostega hide in. This will make the enclosure even more comfortable. We have both time portals opened and running, so now all we have to do is put the plan into action. 

4:00 PM Prehistoric Park time

We have arrived, and immediately we set up the trap. I set up my camera right near the Acanthostega to show them walking, but we run into a problem. It seems like the Acanthostega are aquatic.

4:30 PM Prehistoric Park time

Problem solved. Instead we get nets and already we are catching lots. Nigel dove into swim with them, and I followed. It was actually really fun. I even cast out a fishing line, and caught a small one. We ended up catching about 15. One of my favourite expeditions ever.

5:00 PM Prehistoric Park time

All is calm with the Acanthostega. I have been getting some great shots of them in their enclosure, and I am pretty sure that Nigel and Bob are talking about new changes. Wonder what they could be.