Whilst exploring a large cave complex near Vilcabamba, Peru (killing some wolves along the way, naturally), Lara heads through into the Lost Valley itself - a beautiful, exotic area full of lush vegetation, one of the most visually striking areas of the game.
We have no time for sightseeing, however, as Lara is soon beset by a pack of hungry Velociraptors!
The Raptors Lara comes across were fast, agile hunters. They had a large, sickle-like claw on each foot, which could be moved independently of the foot itself. These claws were used as weapons, for puncturing the hardened skin of, and latching onto their prey, in a similar way to a lioness using her large canine teeth to hold onto the throat of a zebra or Antelope that the pride have caught. But the claws also had another function - they enabled the raptor to climb trees and rocks with relative ease, which is probably a major factor in the success of the Dromaeosaurids (raptors). They were also intelligent, and probably hunted in small packs...So Lara was very lucky to have survived being ambushed by them in the Valley.
One major difference between the in-game Raptors and their real life counterparts, however, is that it is now believed that all Raptor species had feathers, and were early ancestors of modern day birds. Maybe this could explain why the crows in Tomb Raider II had such a vendetta against our girl...
The fast, agile raptors are no match for Lara, however, as she uses her wits (and pistols!) to take them out after a rather tough battle.
As Miss Croft presses further on into the valley, the ground itself begins to tremble. She barely has time to wonder what could be causing it before a HUGE T-Rex comes around the corner, and it looks like Lara is back on the menu! :O
The Name Tyrannosaurus rex means "King of the Tyrant Reptiles" - and this says it all.
At 40 feet in length and up to 15 feet in height, T. Rex is not just THE most iconic Dinosaur, it was also one of the largest land carnivores of all time. Incredibly, it is thought that this beast could run at speeds of up to 40km/h, Typically preying upon Hadrosaurs and Ceratopsians, T.Rex was also a scavenger, and would likely feed upon any uneaten prey left by other carnivores. So when Mama Rex sees Lara in the Valley, it is definitely thinking it has stumbled across an easy meal. Fortunately for us, Lara's a tough gal. :D
She runs for a small cave to the side, and juuust about manages to get inside safely before she becomes a snack for the valley's apex predator. From the safety of her hiding place, Lara is able to take out the gigantic toothy menace with her trusty pistols.
(Note: If she wasn't attempting to save the world from a megalomaniacal Atlantean Queen, I'm sure Lara would have reported this incredible scientific discovery to the relevant institutions :P)
Real T-Rex skeleton on display at the Field Museum, Chicago
So is it possible that the Lost Valley could exist, and sustain the Dinosaurs that live there?
In the in-game world, definitely! The wolves have access beyond Vilcabamba, and would bring back prey to their den. The Raptors would then use their long claws to climb over the rocks, and either steal the food from the wolves, or just catch the wolves themselves, returning to the Valley with their catch, then in turn, have their meals cheekily scavenged by the Tyrannosaur. And of course, when She got hungry, Mama Rex always had those Raptors to catch...until Miss Croft came along and spoiled the Dino party! :D
In the real world though, of course, it's improbable that Dinosaurs have survived the extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous Period and lived to the modern day. The closest we will probably see are large reptiles like Crocodiles/Alligators, and the Komodo Dragon of Indonesia.
So while it's unlikely that a real Lost Valley exists, if it did, there's only one person who could survive the prehistoric perils... Happy Birthday, Lara. <3
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