Isla Nublar (novel canon)

Isla Nublar (known as'' "Cloud Island" to the natives) is a remote island 120 miles (190 km) off the coast of Costa Rica. '''When the Hammond Foundation leased Nublar from the Costa Rican Government, they were shocked that anyone would want it; the island was nothing but clouds, jungle, and hard rock (considering Nublar was a seamount). Yet, Hammond had secretly made this the site of Jurassic Park.

Before opening it to the public, John Hammond invited Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, Ian Malcolm, Donald Gennaro and his two grandchildren (Lex and Tim) to experience the park, mainly due to his investors pressing an inspection. However, a sequence of disasters leads to the closure of the park. This event is nicknamed the Isla Nublar Incident or "The InGen Incident". Towards the end of the novel after the survivors are evacuated, the island is bombarded by the Costa Rican Air Force, destroying Jurassic Park and killing the dinosaurs.

However, after the survivors are taken to the mainland, Martin Guitierrez, a Costa Rican biologist, informs Alan Grant that an unknown pack of animals (Procompsognathus) has been eating crops rich in lysine all over Costa Rica.



Map
There appears to be no map of the island in the first novel. From descriptions in the story fans have tried to reconstruct a map of Isla Nublar. The map of H.Z. Tomassi is the best example (shown). A few others are also based on the novel, but they conflict with the events that take place; the characters will be in one place and then a completely different area in the next sequence of events. This map is by far the best example for a number of reasons:


 * Physical Description: Appears like an inverted teardrop; bulging in the north, thinning in the south
 * A large, man-made lake stretches through the middle of the island
 * The jungle river runs for miles along the interior of the island
 * A stream runs near the path to Hammond's Bungalow as stated in the novel
 * Vocanic fumes from the south are present
 * The island has a poor harbor; there is no defending storm barrier
 * Dimensions of the island are as described

Environment
According to Hammond,  is grown on the eastern side of the island, which is eventually used to make his specific ice cream in his Bungalow. The novel states that when the visitors arrived, a large palm tree grove gave an erie Jurassic feel to the place. The tour then explains that other vegetation includes cycads, a type of large fern that dates back to the Mesozoic era, as well as pines, and even bamboo at some places.

The southern tip of the island has the highest volcanic activity of the island. Sulphurous plumes and steam are coming out of the ground.

Fauna

 * The island hosts dozens of bird species, but none of them are large flightless birds.
 * Rats
 * Snakes
 * leeches
 * Cicadas
 * Cicadas

Park locations
Mentioned locations are:
 * Visitor Center (From here the park is maintained)
 * Safari Lodge (Armored visitor hotel)
 * Safari Lodge Swimming Pool
 * East Garage (Maintenance Vehicle Storage)
 * East Dock (Maintenance Dock)
 * North Dock (Large Cargo and Cruise Ship Dock)
 * Hypsilophodon Highlands (Featuring Hypsilophodon and Othnielia)
 * Pterosaur Peak (Also called Aviary, it housed Cearadactylus. The Pteratops Lodge was planned to be build inside the Aviary. It was not yet finished for visitors)
 * Carnivore Country (Featuring Dilophosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex.)
 * Les Gigantes (A three-star restaurant - not yet finished for visitors)
 * Triceratops Territory (Featuring Microceratops, Triceratops, Styracosaurus and Euoplocephalus.)
 * Sauropod Swamp (Featuring Apatosaurus, Hadrosaurus, and Maiasaura.)
 * Stegosaur South (Featuring Stegosaurus)
 * Velociraptor Valley (The original enclosure for the Velociraptors, it was undergoing refurbishment as the new pack leader kept having her pack attacking the fences for weak spots)