"Dreadnoughtus schrani was a genus of giant titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur that lived in South America, specifically Argentina, approximately 75 to 70 million years ago. It could reach a weight of over 30 tons, potentially even nearing 40."
The current Mojave Sanctuary is enclosed by a perimeter fence, though it serves more as a decorative boundary than a functional one. It offers zero resistance to the behemoths living within.
Furthermore, a public address system has been installed throughout the area, presumably intended for tourists on self-drive safaris.
This brings up a question: What is the single greatest source of instability in a theme park?
Answer: The tourists.
Fortunately, the Mojave Sanctuary is vast enough to accommodate a dinosaur population far exceeding that of the Primeval Ecological Zone. Consequently, the dinosaurs rarely bother approaching the fences, and tourists generally only see them from a great distance.
"Adult Dreadnoughtus could reach heights of up to 18 meters. Their forelimbs were longer than those of any other known titanosaur, though shorter than those of the Brachiosauridae family."
The broadcast continued announcing data on the sanctuary's new residents, but the tourist count here was currently zero. Its only listener wasn't even human.
Carlo looked at the fence, which felt as flimsy as tissue paper. He turned to let out a low huff to his family, and they began following the perimeter to find an actual entrance.
He was being polite enough not to break it.
…
In the past, western South America was one of the most desolate places on Earth.
Although the Mojave Sanctuary had been artificially enhanced with shrubs, oases, and small patches of high-canopy forest, it remained, at its core, a desert.
The relentless sun hung in a cloudless blue sky. Invisible heat waves surged across the land, warping the very air.
Towering dark shapes formed a rolling mountain range across the open wasteland. They moved steadily toward the verdant high forests.
The Dreadnoughtus.
While their territorial instincts weren't exceptionally aggressive, their height, which eclipsed even that of an ARK Giganotosaurus, ensured that every step they took was a catastrophe for other dinosaurs and native wildlife.
Because of this, the D.P.W. and the Primeval organization reached a consensus to create two massive oases: one for the majority of the herbivores and carnivores, and another exclusively for the Dreadnoughtus.
The migrating Dreadnoughtus herd consisted entirely of males. The females had already gathered by the oasis, waiting for the males to arrive.
This was a trial of strength and breeding. Only the strongest males would be favored by the females to pass on their genes.
But gaining the approval of the females was far from easy.
"Aunnng—"
A colossal figure reared up on its hind legs, letting out a roar fit for a king. Then, its feet slammed back into the earth, sending up a cloud of dust and making the very ground tremble.
The herd of male Dreadnoughtus halted, looking toward the white behemoth standing in the center of the females.
It was an albino Dreadnoughtus. With fewer melanocytes in its skin, its resistance to UV rays was weak, making it ill-suited for the desert. However, the fact that it had survived to adulthood meant it was an order of magnitude more terrifying than any standard Dreadnoughtus.
"Aunnng—"
A ripple of unrest spread through the males. Some of the smaller individuals were already reconsidering their options.
For the males, the process of winning mating rights was like a performance, a show to attract the females. But the white Dreadnoughtus's performance didn't just catch the eyes of the females; it struck fear into any who dared challenge him.
Adult Dreadnoughtus had virtually no natural predators. Most injuries and deaths occurred during infighting. Even so...
"Aunnng—!"
A young Dreadnoughtus stepped onto the white king's stage, issuing a challenge!
"Aunnng!"
The master of the stage had no right to refuse. He accepted the challenge with a high-pitched cry, signaling the surrounding females to move back.
This was to be a war between the Old King and a New Challenger.
…
"Aunnng?"
Big brother, why aren't we going to fight?
This was Dread Two. He was also a male, but the moment he reached the oasis, he had been dragged away by his older brother to soak in the artificial lake.
"Aunnng—"
Are you stupid? Why can't we just live happily? We don't have natural enemies anyway, so what's the point of our own kind fighting all day and night?
This was Dread One. Unlike most of his kind, he had a very carefree personality, completely indifferent to the animal law of "Victory, then Mating." In his eyes, "Survival" was the only principle that truly mattered.
"Aunnng?"
Okay then... but why don't we go watch the fun?
Dread Two asked a soul-searching question. Dread One, who had been soaking comfortably while chewing on leaves, suddenly went still. His expression stiffened.
Oh yeah. Why aren't we watching the fun?
Silence fell like the evening tide, but fortunately, Dread Two broke the awkwardness.
"Aunnng!"
Big brother, look!
Dread Two's startled cry grabbed Dread One's attention. He followed his brother's gaze toward the edge of the tall woods.
Was it the herd? The white Dreadnoughtus fighting? No. It was further away, a mere black dot, yet so prominent it was impossible to ignore.
Against the glow of the setting sun, the silhouettes of predators emerged. These never-before-seen titans slowly approached the oasis, causing even the fighting Dreadnoughtus to freeze in their tracks.
It was their old neighbors from Argentina, the Giganotosaurus.
Snort…
Carlo's biological radar instantly locked onto the Dreadnoughtus herd residing by the oasis. If this oasis hadn't been the closest one to their entrance, Carlo would have preferred not to deal with a bunch of giant creatures this large.
"Hrrruf…"
He let out a low huff, signaling Giga Dad and the others to stay put. He would go first to have a "friendly chat" with the Dreadnoughtus to secure their right to the water.
"Aunnng?"
Big brother... do you see that?
The sunset was beautiful. Dread Two's favorite thing was watching the sun dip below the horizon to welcome a new day. But today's sunset... felt a little different.
"Aunnng?"
Big brother?
Seeing that his brother hadn't responded, Dread Two looked over and saw a look of unprecedented gravity in the older dino's eyes.
Before he could ask again, Dread One finally spoke.
"Aunnng…"
That isn't just a sunset. That is the sunset of the Dreadnoughtus's reign. That is the end of our time at the top of the food chain.
———————
Note: Current research does not indicate that Giganotosaurus and Dreadnoughtus ever met for the following reasons:
Giganotosaurus lived in South America during the Cenomanian stage of the Late Cretaceous, approximately 97 million years ago.
Dreadnoughtus also lived in the Late Cretaceous of South America, but during the Campanian to Maastrichtian stages, approximately 84 to 66 million years ago.
While both were found in Argentina, their specific time periods and potentially their geographical distributions did not overlap.
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