What if Megalania was Featured in Jurassic Park?
The idea of combining Megalania prisca with the Jurassic Park franchise could spark endless discussion among fans of both. However, such a scenario would present numerous challenges and inconsistencies.
Monster of the Monitors: An Overview
Megalania prisca, a species of giant varanid monitor lizard, is a fascinating creature that lived in Australia during the Pleistocene epoch. Unlike the fearsome Godzilla from Japanese culture, Megalania is not a moniker for a giant reptilian monster. Conversely, Godzilla, a fictional creature featured in numerous films and Jurassic Park, is known for its immense size and power. Thus, when comparing these two species, it's clear why Godzilla would dominate.
Size and Power Dynamics
Godzilla, many times larger and more powerful than the Jurassic Park dinosaurs, would effortlessly reign supreme. The Jurassic Park dinosaurs, despite being close in size to real dinosaurs, would pose no challenge to the Godzilla-sized behemoth. Even Godzillasaurus has successfully demonstrated its superiority, fending off US Army forces with ease and only succumbing to battleship artillery. This vividly depicts the dominance of Godzilla in any encounter.
The Evolutionary Gap
Contrary to the idea of Godzilla, Megalania was not present in the Mesozoic Era. Megalania evolved as a giant apex predator in the recent Pliocene, Pleistocene periods, and the Holocene. These lizards hunted small mammals, apes, and even humans, making them formidable predators of their time. The misconception arises from the belief that giant lizards, such as Mesozoic-era Mosasaur and Varanid monitor lizards, could coexist with dinosaurs. However, the Mosasaur and Varanid monitor lizards evolved much later in the Cenozoic Era, specifically during the Miocene to Holocene periods.
Thankfully, No Frankensteinian Dino-Lizard
A comparison to Jurassic Park dinosaur genetic experiments, such as Indominus rex, further illuminates the absurdity of including Megalania in such a franchise. Indominus rex was created through sophisticated genetic manipulation, combining various dinosaur DNAs with other organisms. These Frankensteinian creatures are intended to represent a blend of animal traits but are scientifically implausible. The idea of incorporating Megalania, which is a valid ancient creature, into such a context would require ignoring the evolutionary timeline.
The Mesozoic Era: A Time of Giants
The Mesozoic Era, a period classified into three distinct phases: Triassic (245-208 million years ago), Jurassic (208-146 million years ago), and Cretaceous (146-65 million years ago), is known for its colossal animal species. Dinosaurs and other creatures dominated this era, creating the ecological conditions that led to the Indominus rex-like hybrids in Jurassic Park. The concept of incorporating Megalania into this framework would be more aligned with the Pleistocene period, not the Mesozoic Era.
Conclusion
The inclusion of Megalania in the Jurassic Park franchise would be speculative and inconsistent with the known timeline of evolution. Godzilla, being a modern creation, best fits the existing narrative and ecological framework of the Jurassic Park films. The idea of a Jurassic Park-style dinosaur park featuring a giant varanid monitor lizard would generate numerous questions regarding the evolutionary timeline and ecological plausibility.