Velociraptor

Velociraptor in real life, was a of dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period which inhabited what is now the Mongolia-China border. Velociraptor was no bigger than a wolf and with its feathers it bore a very bird-like appearance. It had a long claw ("terrible claw") on the second toe of both feet, 8 cm (3 in) long, which he probably used as a weapon. Velociraptor was the first dromaeosaurid be discovered (1922) and is still the most well known to paleontologists, with over a dozen recovered fossil skeletons - the most of any other member of its family. Since it's appearance in the first film, it has become a symbol of Jurassic Park and has appeared in all the films and games. They are the main antagonists of the first film, but are killed by T. rex. In the Jurassic Park universe, the term "Velociraptor" is applied to the genus of another dromaeosaurid dinosaur known as Deinonychus. The films, like the novels, followed the unusual taxonomy created by Gregory S. Paul, who believed that Deinonychus, as well as a few other species of dromaeosaurids, could be classified under the genus "Velociraptor". This is why the Velociraptors in the Jurassic Park films are so large.

More real-life information: on Wikipedia.

Jurassic Park Franchise
Velociraptors are one of the main antagonists in all Jurassic Park media. However, these creatures are different from the real-life Velociraptors as they follow the Gregory S. Paul taxonomy explained above. In the novels, the animals are misclassified as Achillobator giganticus, judging by the size and location of the amber samples, and in the films, the animals are classified as "Velociraptor antirrhopus" in accordance to Gregory S. Paul taxonomy. The raptors, however, heavily differ from their real life counterparts in physiology and appearance, including a lack of feathers, pronated hands, and general mismatched proportions. This is possibly due to genetic mutations of unknown origin that differ the animals from their fossil record counterparts.

Novel canon
see Velociraptor (novel canon)

Film canon
see Velociraptor (movie canon) Velociraptor is one of the most popular dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park franchise. They appear in all three movies and The Game and have a major role. Velociraptor is the first dinosaur seen in Jurassic Park. The first scene features a Raptor being transported into the paddock. They are often seen hunting in packs and as being highly intelligent.

Video games
They appear in almost all games. Below is a list of notable games featuring them:


 * Velociraptor is featured in the arcade version of Jurassic Park. The player will encounter Velociraptors in Area One, Three, and Four. They will try to attack you, but are very easy to kill.
 * The raptors in Chaos Island: The Lost World are fast and deadly. They can kill many enemies in packs, but they are easily killed.
 * In the NES game Jurassic Park, Raptors are the only dinosaurs that don't walk through doorways. They slow down when they start to corner you.
 * The Raptor is a playable character in the SEGA game Jurassic Park.
 * In Jurassic Park 2: The Chaos Continues, the Raptor is an enemy. They will often leap at the player. Killing them will not decrease dinosaur stock amount.
 * In Jurassic Park Dinosaur Battles. they are small, quick and agile fighters; reliable against herbivores and small predators.
 * Raptors are enemies in a building in Jurassic Park Interactive.
 * In Jurassic Park: Trespasser, the Raptors are a constant threat, appearing in all levels.
 * Velociraptor is an enemy in The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Game Boy game).
 * Velociraptor is an enemy in The Lost World: Jurassic Park (SEGA Genesis Game).
 * Male and female Velociraptors can be encountered in the arcade game The Lost World: Jurassic Park. These Raptors are encountered in all levels. Also, there are green "Alpha Raptors" which can only be killed if shot in the head, and can call others to them. If it is killed, the summoned Raptors will flee from the player.
 * In Jurassic Park III: Dino Defender, male Raptors are encountered on all levels.
 * In Jurassic Park III: Island Attack, the player is confronted by a Raptor.
 * In Jurassic Park III: Park Builder, Raptors, both the male and female version from Jurassic Park III, can be created. Ironically, so too can Deinonychus. However, they are 2 meters long in the game, making them Velociraptor mongoliensis. However, the Deinonychus do not resemble the Raptors from the third movie, although they do look like the Raptors from the first two films.
 * Velociraptor can be encountered in the arcade game Jurassic Park III.
 * Raptors are an enemy in Jurassic Park III: Danger Zone!.
 * Velociraptor is the fourth dinosaur the player encounters in Jurassic Park III: The DNA Factor.
 * Velociraptor is featured in Jurassic Park: Explorer.
 * The Raptors were planned to appear in Jurassic Park: Survival.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park PSX
In The Lost World: Jurassic Park video game, Velociraptor is a playable character. They appear as they do in the novels. The information screen of this level shows that these Raptors are 2 meters long; which shows that they belong to the mongoliensis species. The Raptor must escape an abandoned InGen facility into a forest were a forest fire rages, while facing numerous dinosaurs and hunters. However, their physical appearance still resembles the Deinonychus, which also appears in the game.

Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis
In Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis, they are grey with black spots, like the female Raptor from Jurassic Park III. They lunge onto the prey and bite them numerous times. If they attack larger prey, like a Torosaurus, they lunge onto it is and claw it to death. They can also climb over fences with ease if the fence is lower than medium or is damaged.

If the game is modified in the PC, the Raptors can have fights with Tyrannosaurus rex by clinging to its neck (akin to the first movie). It would take six to kill the giant carnivore. Despite the fact that these Velociraptors are listed at 3 metres in length, the fact that their fossils can be excavated in the Flaming Cliffs formation indicates that they are V. mongoliensis. The raptors are known to rampage a lot more often if there are multiple members of a pack and the rampaging one would kill fellowraptors, which could be a reference to the Big One.

Jurassic Park: builder
Velociraptor is one of the available dinosaurs in the IOS application, Jurassic Park: Builder. When you create the Velociraptor Paddock, two raptors will be placed in it. The raptors are small infants in the first levels, they reach adulthood at level 5.

Comics
Under contruction

Theme Parks
The raptors appeared near the end of Jurassic Park: River Adventure, where they are shown to have recently escaped, and are now tearing up the area. During Universal's Annual Halloween Horror Nights which took place at Islands of Adventure for the first time in 2002, the Jurassic Park island became JP: Extinction, and of course, with all the dinosaurs unleashed out of their paddocks, there were several scareactors dressed up as Raptors, hiding in the bushes, waiting to scare the unsuspecting tourists.

Toy lines
Under contruction

Trivia

 * Although largely based on Deinonychus antirrhopus, they were more similar in size to Achillobator 'giganticus.
 * The internet meme "Philosoraptor", is a satirical representation of the Velociraptors and their implied intelligence.
 * The Velociraptors in the Redemption series and Topps Comics adapted feathers.
 * Kelly, Oscar, Muldoon (Novel), and Dr.Grant (Novel) are the only characters in the whole franchise who succeeded in killing a Velociraptor (besides characters in shooting games).