There is something missing from our world. The amazing animals that time has left behind. But what if we can bring them back? What if extinction didn't have to be forever? We're going back in time on a safari with a difference, as wild life adventurer Nigel Marven plunges into pre-history to rescue creatures on the brink of extinction. His plan is to bring them back to the safety of the present and give them a second chance.

This time Nigel plans to travel back to Mid-Cretaceous Egypt where he finds the dinosaur which could challenge the Tyrannosaurus as King of the Dinosaurs.

Welcome to the ultimate wildlife sanctuary. Welcome to Prehistoric Park!

Chapter 28- The New King of the Dinosaurs

Located on a secret island chain there is never a dull day on Prehistoric Park but before he sets off for his next adventure Nigel has to see to some of the park's residents.

Mammoth Mount had grown in size exponentially over the last month. Where previously three mammoths and two ceolodonta once lived they have been joined by multiple Irish Elk, a herd of aurochs, a herd of mastodon and even more mammoths. As he stood at the fence he saw one of the male elk wipe its giant antlers across the grassy field as a young mastodon watched him.

"I've been studying the male elephants," Chiyo told him "Our resident male mammoth seems to be disagreeing with the male mastodons over territory."

As she said this the male mammoth roared at the three smaller mastodons who roared back at him. This lasted for around a minute before the males briefly lost interest. What was worrying was that one of the male mastodons had a slight limp.

"Male elephants have been known to kill each other so I have a feeling that they may have had a fight. We'll have to get Suzanne to look at him," Chiyo said.

In the wild male elephants are extremely territorial so larger males will often fight smaller ones for territory. However scrapping woolly elephants have to wait for Nigel's next adventure.

In Nigel's office he stood in front of a map of Egypt 100 million years ago. Unlike modern day Egypt this prehistoric Egypt was covered in swamps and wetlands instead of the desert which covers modern day Egypt. What Chiyo found worrying though was a diagram next to the map of a sailed therapod dinosaur with a long snout next to a diagram of a Tyrannosaurus. However this new dinosaur was much larger than the Tyrannosaurus.

"In the mid-Cretaceous period Egypt was very different," Nigel explained "Great wetlands covered the land and gave rise to massive dinosaurs like this fellow: Spinosaurus Aegypticus. This giant dinosaur lived primarily on fish, hence the long snout, and sometimes would prey on dinosaurs which allowed them to grow to immense sizes. At their largest they could grow to 18 metres, around 59ft, and dwarfed Tyrannosaurus. When the Tethys started to move inland though the wetlands started to vanish and so did the Spinosaurus."

"So we're going to rescue a carnivore larger than T-Rex?" Chiyo asked hesitantly to which Nigel laughed.

The wetlands of Mid-Cretaceous Egypt allowed many giant dinosaurs to evolve but the inland sea moving inland caused the wetlands to vanish. By 97 million years ago the giant dinosaurs like Spinosaurus could not adapt and they vanished.

A great desert stretched for miles in one direction; great arid dunes swept the land with the incessant sun beating down on the red sand. In the other direction was the remains of some trees with in the distance greener and life filled plants managing to survive.

"I think our best bet is over there," Nigel argued "It looks like water is over there and with Spinosaurus largely eating fish one or two might be there for us to take back to the park."

However Nigel's search for a Spinosaurus might start earlier than he believed with more dangerous results.

There was a low rumble behind them. They turned round to see a giant green therapod with a long knife filled snout standing up. It had dark green stripes going across the stomach with a yellow underbelly and a giant red sail. Although it was huge they could tell that it was not fully grown.

"I think we've found it," Chiyo whispered.

The Spinosaurus roared and they ran for their lives with the hungry therapod following them. The forest was the safest bet and turned out to be with the giant monster struggling to properly chase them past the trees. The spinosaurs tail smashed against one tree sending splinters everywhere. Nigel turned around to see the dinosaur's giant snout opened in a roar with teeth glistening in the sun and the giant arms used to scooping up fish waving at them.

Luckily for Nigel and Chiyo there are even larger dinosaurs about compared to the Spinosaurus.

There was a deep rumble and the Spinosaurus made a high pitch shriek. A small herd of sauropods stood in the way and the head of the herd moved towards the Spinosaurus with its head shaking in a threating manner. The smaller Spinosaurus deterred fled away from the sauropods. Nigel and Chiyo stared up at them in amazement. They were at least 26 meters long with their humerus alone being 5 and half feet high. With giant, thick necks ending in a giant square head the spinosaurus was definitely no match for these sauropods. They were dark brown with black spots which made them look even more formidable.

"Paralititan stromeri," Nigel said in amazement "The largest herbivore to live here. Although they live on solid land they eat mangrove leaves so when the wetlands recede these giants will go with them."

The Paralititan are going towards the last remaining water source so if they follow the giants they might find a Spinosaurus to catch.

After an hour the Paralititan arrived at the water. Nigel crept in front of the water and opened the portal sending the Paralititan through and into the park. As he turned around in victory something large burst from the water.

Meanwhile in the park Suzanne has to investigate the limp in the male mastodons leg.

She treated the mastodon in a holding pen as her Surgery House was built too small to fit a fully grown mastodon in. The sleeping mastodon's chest slowly rose up and down as Suzanne ran an x-ray over the back leg of the animal.

"Wait there you great thing!" she heard Bob yell from the walkway nearby. One of the new giant sauropods peered over the holding pen top and he managed to reach over and eat some of the hay that was for the mastodon when he woke up.

"Come here you!" Bob yelled "Sorry Suzanne."

She laughed. Only at Prehistoric Park could she be disturbed by a dinosaur that had literally just come from the past. The x-ray showed her that something was imbedded in the fat of the mastodon.

"I'll have to make a quick incision," she explained.

After a few minutes the item imbedded inside the male mastodon's leg was removed and the incision was sown up and disinfected. In her hand was a bloodied arrow head.

"It seems that a hunter had tried to have this guy," she said smiling "It was imbedded in his fat so it must have been painful for him. When he wakes up I'll get someone to send him back to his exhibit but we still need to sort the mammoth/mastodon feud."

Meanwhile in Mid-Cretaceous Egypt Nigel has just had a brief encounter with an aquatic monster.

A giant crocodile had burst from the drying up lake and tried to snap Nigel in half. Luckily for Nigel he was quick on his feet and managed to just avoid being the crocidilian's next meal. It snapped impatiently at them before slinking off back into the water.

"I think that was Sarchosuchus Imperator," Nigel panted.

"I think you was almost its dinner," Chiyo replied in shock.

Nigel loves crocodiles and the park already has an equally giant crocodilian, Deinosuchus, so what harm could another do? They are quickly going extinct making them a prime candidate for park residency.

"Sarchosuchus and Deinosuchus are quite similar," Nigel explained "So I'll copy the tactic that I used to capture this one."

Nigel grabbed a branch that was sticking out of the soil and took it to the river before smashing it in the water. Hopefully the Sarchosuchus will think that it is a dinosaur drinking and come up for a quick bite. Suddenly he saw bubbles rising in the water. He dropped the branch as the giant croc burst from the water at him. The portal burst into life and the Sarchosuchus disappeared through the blue mirage.

In the park Bob looked in awe as the giant crocodile burst through. "Close the gate and get some water. We have a giant crocodile here!"

Nigel and Chiyo continued down the river until they heard the sounds of roars from giant dinosaurs. Two fully grown Spinosaurs, a mating pair, were standing over the decaying carcass of a sawfish. It was plain to see that the area was dying. The great river had been reduced to a ripple and the nearby trees had become skeletons.

As the Tethys Sea moves inland it diverted the rivers leading to the wetlands. As the wetlands then vanished the dinosaurs started to struggle to survive.

The Spinosaurs were roaring at a group of four slightly larger therapods but they were still large enough to dwarf Tyrannosaurus. They were heavily built with stocky, triangular heads with grey scales and black feathers around the nape of the neck. The desperate situation had made these large carnivores band together to survive. The male spinosaurus used its great arm to swipe the face of the nearest therapod who shrieked in pain.

"Carcharodontosaurus Saharicus," Nigel said in amazement "The second largest species of carnivorous dinosaur ever. Normally they prey on dinosaurs instead of fish but the harsh conditions have put them in direct conflict with the Spinosaurus."

This is truly a battle of the century with even the young Spinosaurus that chased them earlier watching.

The two different therapods took swipes and bites at each other. The larger female Spinosaurus charged into one of the Carcharodontosaurus who stumbled into the water and yelped in pain. Despite the Spinosaurs having a larger size the numbers of the Carcharodontosaurus made it impossible to win. They charged in the direction of Nigel and Chiyo and he quickly opened the portal sending them through. However doing this attracted the attention of the Carcharodontosaurus who charged as well. Chiyo quickly managed to get in front of them and open the portal just as one was going to bite down on Nigel.

"I feel we have to help that not so little guy down there," Chiyo said pointing to the young Spinosaurus. It was edging towards the sawfish carcass so they decided to get close to it. Hungry carnivores get protective over an easy meal so it charged at them; just as they opened the portal.

"Let's go home," Nigel said happily.

Back in the Park Bob has his hands full with the new residents.

Bob opened the back of the trailer and the Sarchosuchus swept out and into her new lake. Bubbles dotted the top of the lake. He then had a message to go to the holding pens on Nublar and he was shocked at the sight. The largest carnivores he had ever seen were in the pens tearing apart meat thrown in the pen before his eyes.

"My goodness!"

After the new dinosaurs get settled one last problem has to be addressed.

Brutus the male Mammoth was led into a fence. It was cornered off from the rest of Mammoth Mount but he still had a large area to roam around. With male elephants being solitary this would stop any territory issues arising. But has Prehistoric Park bit off more than it can chew with the new dinosaurs? A roar was heard in the distance.

Next time Nigel travels back to the Late Permian to rescue a sabre toothed synapsid.

A cat/reptile hybrid runs across the desert.

There he finds out the cause of the largest mass extinction in history.

A dust cloud fills the air.

And at the park a giant battle is to take place.

A T-Rex and Spinosaurus roar at each other.

All next time on Prehistoric Park! (20th January next chapter)

Rescued this chapter:

4 Carcharodontosaurus Saharicus 2 male, 2 female

3 Spinosaurus Aegypticus 1 female, 2 male

10 Paralititan 6 female, 4 male

1 Sarchosuchus 1 female