At the conclusion of the original Jurassic Park film, the dinosaurs were left to roam freely on Isla Nublar after the park's catastrophic failure and the hurried evacuation of the human survivors. The primary concern for the remaining individuals was to merely escape the island and save their own lives.
The Aftermath on Isla Nublar
Following the harrowing events, the operational staff and visitors abandoned the island, leaving the genetically engineered creatures to their own devices. This unexpected freedom allowed the various dinosaur species to establish a rudimentary ecosystem, free from human intervention for a time.
Why Were They Left Behind?
- Prioritizing Human Survival: The immediate goal for Dr. Alan Grant, Dr. Ellie Sattler, Ian Malcolm, and the others was self-preservation. Securing the dinosaurs or restoring order was secondary, if not impossible, given the chaotic situation and the destruction of critical park infrastructure.
- Logistical Impossibility: Recapturing or containing creatures like the Tyrannosaurus Rex or Velociraptors with limited resources and no functioning park systems was not a viable option.
- Ethical Dilemma (Unaddressed at the Time): While the ethical implications of creating the dinosaurs were a central theme, the immediate crisis pushed any considerations about their long-term welfare or containment aside.
Survival and Evolution
With the park's fences down and no human oversight, the dinosaurs on Isla Nublar were free to reproduce and establish a wild population, a stark contrast to their intended exhibition roles. This uncontained environment led to:
- Natural Selection: The strongest and most adaptable dinosaurs thrived in the absence of human control.
- Unforeseen Breeding: Despite assurances that all dinosaurs were female and designed to be sterile, Dr. Ian Malcolm's chaos theory proved correct; some dinosaurs managed to switch sexes, leading to uncontrolled breeding.
- An Isolated Ecosystem: Isla Nublar became a de facto wildlife preserve, populated by creatures from the Mesozoic Era.
Impact on Subsequent Films
The decision to leave the dinosaurs on Isla Nublar directly set the stage for the Jurassic Park sequels, particularly The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. These films explore the consequences of their unsupervised existence and humanity's continued fascination and struggle to control these magnificent, yet dangerous, creatures.
In later installments, Isla Nublar's dinosaur population became a subject of various initiatives, from observation to the establishment of an even larger, more ambitious park. However, the fundamental premise remained: the original dinosaurs, and their descendants, continued to exist and evolve outside the confines of their creators' original intentions.
For more information on the Jurassic Park film series and its creatures, you can visit the Jurassic Park Wiki or IMDb.
