Ultraraptor einsteini ??? (JP3 musings...)

["Scott Hartman" <scott_hartman@hotmail.com>]

Warning, JP3 spoilers ahead:











    All joking about Grant's "intelligence" theory aside (well, ok, laugh
one more time, but then back on topic...), did anyone actually think that
the "raptors" in JP3 did anything smart enough to put them in the high
cetacean and/or primate range?  Don't get me wrong, they showed a higher
level of pack coordination than I would expect, but the other behaviors
ascribed to high "intelligence" just didn't seem so amazing to me.  The
raptor that "calls for help" was never shown recieving any, and many animals
make noise when trapped or injured.
    During the first hunt scene, they call to each other, but they don't
seem to be displaying extraordinary (say, above felid) attack coordination.
I suppose setting a trap would qualify, but being cautious after a kill
(i.e. hiding), especially with strange new animals nearby doesn't strike me
as odd, nor does a knee-jerk reaction to try and kill one when she almost
falls out of a tree.
    One thing suggests that JP raptors were actually very stupid.  At the
end when they finally run into our heros and take back their eggs, they've
wasted an unbelievable amount of time and energy chasing after two eggs,
whose individual chances of surviving to reproduce are pretty small.  To
make matters worse, the pack passes up the chance to kill already surrounded
prey.  Or did they just hear the navy coming?
   Either way, I think the plot is a great example of a scientist who fell
in love with his theory and was shoe-horning his field observations to match
his theoretical "prescience."  Truly a classic cautionary tale for us all ;)

Scott

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