Hațeg Island

Hațeg Island

The area this red arrow is pointing at is the only city/human settlement of modern day Hațeg Island, resembling an oversized somewhat futuristic city twice the size of New York City and resembles a futuristsic Sacramento with New York City's screens, some buildings, musical Broadways, and live shows, but the city also has clean energy and plants all over the place.

 (Romanian: Insula Hațeg; Hațegese: Inzula Hațek) is a large offshore island that was once in the Tethys Sea which existed during the late Cretaceous period, probably from the Cenomanian to the Maastrichtian ages. It was situated in an area corresponding to the region around modern-day Hațeg, Hunedoara County, Romania. Maastrichtian fossils of small-sized dinosaurs have been found in the island's rocks.

It was formed mainly by tectonic uplift during the early Alpine orogeny, caused by the Adriatic Plate's northwest movement across the Piemont-Liguria Ocean towards the end of the Cretaceous. There is no real present-day analog, but overall, the island of Hainan (off the coast of China) is perhaps closest as regards climate, geology and topography, though still not a particularly good match. The vegetation, for example, was of course entirely distinct from today, as was the fauna.

The Hungarian paleontologist Franz Nopcsa theorized that "limited resources" found on the island commonly have an effect of "reducing the size of animals" over the generations, producing a localized form of dwarfism. Nopcsa's theory of insular dwarfism—also known as the island rule—is today widely accepted.

The Island's Resurrection

The downtown part of the Hațeg Island's city, with lots of plant species flourishing here, along with many animals living here like tapirs, orangutans, elephants, sauropods, Rhabdodons, etc.

In the year 1993, some scientists and zoologists have time traveled to the island about 80 million years ago and studied all of the known animals and plant species that lived on the island. Due to the popular demand on ressurecting the island back from extinction, in 2007, people had used a similar-sized Hațeg Island-sized time portal and swept the island to off the coast of California about 2 million years ago, fortunately, none of the plants or animals that got there were killed or injured during the process. The island was eventually connected to North America's sea floor and is now part of the North American landmasses off the coast of modern day California close to San Franscico. It is now much larger than it was before due to volcanic activity making the island bigger, so it is now about the size of Great Britain.

Native Species (Examples):

Allodaposuchus, one of the only native crocodiles of the island, it is also warm-blooded, unlike most crocodilians.

Dwarf Dromaeosaur, one of the most deadly dinosaurs of the island, it is also the most aggressive of the native dinosaurs, it can sometimes attack and kill nonnative humans.

Rhabdodon, one of the most common non-avian dinosaurs of the island, is found frequently on forests and grasslands of the island.

Dwarf Troodon, one of the native theropod dinosaurs of the island. It is also among the smartest native dinosaurs.

Ampelosaurus, a large native sauropod of the island, with Rhabdodon in the background.

Magyarosaurus, one of the smallest native sauropod species of the island.

Dwarf Tarascosaurus, one of the top native dinosaur predators of the island.

Pyroraptor, one of the top predator wasn't native, but had gotten to the island many years just before being brought back along with the island. Dwarf Tarascosaurus might be one of the top native predator, but Pyroraptor is now native and is a more deadlier carnivore.

Elopteryx, one of the Dwarf Troodon's rival, they are much more aggressive and slightly larger.

Balaur, a small and very bird-like dinosaur, is one of the main rivals of Pyroraptor, Dwarf Tarascosaurus, and Dwarf Dromaeosaurs.

Telmatosaurus, one of the only known species of Hadrosaur of the island, is also the smallest Hadrosaur in the world.

The skeletal reconstruction (top) and the sketch of the live Struthiosaurus (bellow). Struthiosaurus is one of the only native armored dinosaur of the island.

Zalmoxes. These two Zalmoxes species, Zalmoxes robustus (top) and Zalmoxes shqiperorum (bellow) are close relatives of Rhabdodon, but are covered in feather-like scales and are fully bipedal herbivorous dinosaurs.

This subspecies of white-faced whistling duck, known as Hațeg Island whistling duck, is one of the most common native birds of this island, it is not negatively effected by non-native species, unlike most birds. They are also adapting well into human settlements.

This native subspecies of ocellated turkey, known as the Hațeg Island turkey, is one of the most common native birds of this island. Just like the Hațeg Island whistling duck, it isn't affected by invasive species, so it remains very common. It is also able to adapt very well into human settlements.

These greater rhea subspecies, known as the Hațeg Island rhea, is one of the most common bird species of Hațeg Island, it isn't effected by non-native species, just like Hațeg Island turkeys and Hațeg Island whistling ducks. They are also adapting extremely well into human settlements. Since there are no Ornithomimids of Hațeg Island, these large flightless birds filled their niche and now roam in large flocks in many of the island's grasslands.

Hațeg Island cock-of-the-rock is one of the most common native tree-dwelling bird species and is not negatively effected by invasive species, unlike most native modern-styled birds. They are adapting extremely well into human settlements.

Hațeg Island Red-crowned amazon, one of the only native parrot species of Hațeg Island and being one of the most common native tree-dwelling modern-styled birds on this island, it isn't being negatively effected by invasive species. Unlike mainland subspecies of red-crowned amazons, they are not endangered since they thrive in large numbers and can reproduce quickly. They are also adaptable in human settlements.

Green-headed tanager, a species of modern-styled bird native to mainland South America and Hațeg Island. Unlike most native modern-styled birds of Hațeg Island, these birds are not negatively effected by invasive species. They can also adapt into human settlements.

California quail, a species of native ground-dwelling bird of mainland North America and Hațeg Island. Unlike most native modern-styled birds, they adapt well with invasive species. Strangely, their population is much bigger (equivalent to half the population of domestic chickens worldwide) than the ones of mainland North America, maybe its because of abundance of food or is because their ability to adapt to human settlements faster than mainland California quails.

Harlock's bunting, an species of native bunting found only in Hațeg Island. Unlike most buntings, it is dull and not colorful, being mostly brown in color. It is also an endangered species due to invasive screaming pihas, microraptors, and yi qis.

Hațeg Island sparrow, a highly endangered species of native sparrow of Hațeg Island, it is being threatened to extinction by invasive screaming pihas.

Hațeg Island flamingo, a subspecies of Caribbean flamingo, was once vulnerable to extinction due to invasive gray wolves and other non-native predators, but thanks to the help of genetic engineering from humans, these flamingos made a comeback, now roaming in (almost) a million, living in the wild and in human settlements.

Big brown dove, a species of new world dove about the size of a common raven that is native only to Hațeg Island, is vulnerable to extinction due to invasive microraptors and yi qis, but people are hoping to save this bird from extinction with zoos, genetic engineering, etc.

False rock dove, a species of new world dove that resembles an unrelated old world "true" rock dove, which was unsuccessfully introduced due to predation from invasive microraptors. This bird was once critically endangered due to microraptors and yi qis, but fortunately, this bird has made a comeback due to genetic engineering and now roam in large flocks and is now able to survive in human settlements, in a similar manner to true rock doves.

Black-chested starling, also known as the American starling, is the only species of starling native to the new worlds, possibly evolving from a group of Asian starlings that flew to this island about 1 million years ago. They are native only to Hațeg Island, where they are vulnerable to extinction due to invasive screaming pihas. Hopefully, people could help save this bird species with zoos, genetic engineering, etc.

Jackson's dove, a brightly colored species of new world dove native only to Hațeg Island. It is endangered due to invasive microraptors and yi qis, but people hope that they could save this bird from extinction with zoos, genetic engineering, etc.

Giant sparrow, the world's largest species of sparrow (about the size of a domestic pigeon), is a bird native only to Hațeg Island, where it is highly endangered due to invasive screaming pihas, microraptors, and yi qis, but people are hoping to save this bird species from extinction with zoos, genetic engineering, etc.

Nesophontes, which were once thought to be extinct, is actually still alive in this island. Unlike the ones that lived used to live in Caribbean islands, these animals in Hațeg Island thrive well even with habitat loss and competition with non-native brown rats, possibly due to a faster reproduction system, allowing this mammal to survive to present times.

Hațeg Island Guinea pig, one of the native rodent species of Hațeg Island, is commonly found roaming freely in grasslands and human settlements of this island. Unlike mainland Guinea pigs, these Guinea pig species can reproduce fast and adapt well into human settlements, usually making human houses their home, making these Guinea pigs pests due to their destructive nature towards furniture and some other man-made equipment in houses of Hațeg Island, so people of this island view them in a similar point of view like mainland people who hated wild house mice, which are also considered as pests.

Gabōrin is one of the native rodent species native to Hațeg Island, with its closest relative being pacas and capybaras. It is also known as the false hyrax due to its resemblance to the true hyraxes, which are not rodents but elephant relatives. They are very common and fill a similar niche to rabbits of the mainland, often digging burrows and reproduce fast so their species could survive in a predator-filled land. They are also adapting well into human settlements, often being found in parks, gardens, farms, and fields, but sometimes also found in yards, schools, and even in streets.

Alatrack, a squirrel-sized pika-like mammal native to Hațeg Island, isn't a true pika (a rabbit relative part of a lagomorph family), but a rodent closely related to a Gabōrin, a hyrax-like rodent. It fills a niche similar to mainland ground squirrels, marmots, gophers, and even lemmings, digging in burrows to escape danger and to find food source. They can survive well into human settlements, with humans often viewing these rodents as pests to to their destruction to the farm's crops as they're looking for new territories.

Hațeg Island paca, a species of paca native to Hațeg Island. Unlike mainland pacas, these pacas are able to survive into human settlements extremely well due to their unusually fast reproductive systems not found in mainland pacas, as well as having varied diets on different plant food they could find. They are also commonly seen to be active at not just night, but also daytime, unlike mainland pacas, which are usually nocturnal. This paca species is considered a pest due to their destruction to any farm vegetables.

Hațeg Island Mara, a species of Mara native to Hațeg Island. It is active mainly during the day. It is often found in both wilderness and human settlements, where it can damage human property such as fence posts, furniture, etc while the maras are trying to keep their teeth short, a manner found in almost all rodent species. It thrives very well in human settlements due to their fast reproduction and their agility to escape from predators, including humans.

False capybara, a giant capybara-sized herbivorous rodent native to Hațeg Island. It is more closely related to the Gabōrin than a true capybara. It is usually found in grasslands and swamps of Hațeg Island, but is also adaptable in human settlements due to their docile and gentle nature towards humans.

Pulornchin, a giant rhinoceros-sized herbivorous rodent native to Hațeg Island. It is the true largest rodent on earth, being much bigger than the mainland capybara, in which is closely related to. It is mainly found in swamps of the island.

Rodents and Nesophontes are not the only native mammals of Hațeg Island, there are also native bat species of the island. Vampire bats are among the most common native bat species of Hațeg Island, being found on almost all kinds of habitats of the island, even in human settlements. These bats mainly feed on the blood of dinosaurs, birds, and mammals (including humans).

Nonnative Species (Examples):

Modern

The wild dylanus and the domestic dylanus are introduced species of Hațeg island. They mainly feed on fruits, roots, tubers, insects, fish, small reptiles (including small dinosaurs), smaller mammals, eggs, and carrion.

Wild boar, one of the nonnative species of the island as people brought them there in 1870's, in more than 400 years after the island was brought back, but fortunately, they do not cause any signs of environmental damages, unlike in most places.

South American tapir, another nonnative species of Hațeg Island, other than competing with native Rhabdodons for food, South American tapirs causes no known negative impact in Hațeg Island.

Nutria, a nonnative species of rodent of the island, unlike most places, in Hațeg Island, nutrias don't seem to affect native plants nor animals, rather they cause positive impact to meat eaters as free meals.

Gray wolf, another nonnative species of the island, they compete with native raptors and tarascosaurus for prey items.

Brown rat, another nonnative (possibly invasive) species of Hațeg Island, known to eat fruits and small insects, it rarely feeds on dinosaur eggs.

Chacma baboon, another nonnative species of Hațeg Island, it was brought to the island due to slave trade. They mainly feed on leaves and fruit, along with carrion and very rarely dinosaur eggs.

Vervet monkey, another introduced monkey species of the island, it feeds on fruits, leaves, smaller animals, and rarely dinosaur eggs.

Rhesus macaque, this monkey was also brought to Hațeg Island due to slave trade. It feeds on fruits, roots, tubers, smaller animals, and very rarely dinosaur eggs.

White-headed capuchin, another monkey that was brought here due to slave trade. It mainly feeds on leaves, fruits, seeds, and smaller animals.

Tufted capuchin, another capuchin species, it was also brought here due to slave trade. It feeds on fruits, seeds, roots, tubers, smaller animals, and very rarely dinosaur eggs.

Sumatran orangutan, the only species of ape that was brought to this island, it was brought here through slave trade. It mainly feeds on fruits, leaves, and insects. Unlike native ones in Asia, they are tolerating well with humans and their activities, so they aren't endangered on this island.

Asian elephant, another introduced species of the island. They mainly feed on fruits, leaves, and grasses.

The Asian Mesoron, one of the modern day Chalicothere species that was brought to this island by humans, possibly due to food shortage during the Great Depression.

Domestic Mesoron, one of the Chalicothere species that was brought to this island as livestock.

Domestic sheep, an introduced livestock species of this island, which, unlike in most places, can survive and thrive well and protect themselves from predators like wolves by running away in big herds against danger.

Cattle, another introduced livestock species of this island, unlike in most places, these cattle are mostly independent from humans as they no longer struggle to give birth without human technology, allowing these cattle to thrive on modern day Hațeg Island.

Domestic goat, another introduced livestock species, which is now very common roaming freely in grasslands, forests, rainforests, and human settlements of Hațeg Island.

Domestic rabbits, unlike in most places where rabbits have been introduced to areas where they weren't supposed to be living in, in this island, rabbits have no known negative impact to natives. Also, despite having many predators of this island (both native and non-native), rabbits seem very tame towards humans and dylanuses, much like on Rabbit Island, Japan.

Screaming piha, one of the worst invasive species of Hațeg island, competing native modern-styled birds of Hațeg Island.

Domestic chicken, one of the introduced poultry of this island, being among the most common ground birds, along with turkeys and peacocks.

Domestic turkey, one of the most common ground bird of modern Hațeg Island, along with chickens and peacocks. Also unlike most places, these turkeys are flourishing and thriving even with predators around, and they don't struggle to reproduce, which means these turkeys have no problem surviving in modern day Hațeg Island.

Indian peacock, one of the most common introduced ground dwelling birds, along with chickens and turkeys.

American alligator, one of the worst invasive species of Hațeg Island, sometimes competing with native Allodaposuchus. It was originally brought here due to pet escapees.

African spurred tortoise, one of the most common non-native reptiles of this island, about as common as chickens on mainland California. Unlike native ones from Africa, these tortoises are tolerating human activities and are adapting and thriving very well in human settlements.

Blue-tongued skink, one of the most common non-native reptiles of this island, about as common to encounter as encountering feral/stray cats in Californian cities.

Bearded lizard, one of the most common non-native reptiles of this island, about as common to encounter as feral/stray dogs in cities.

Gold dust day gecko, one of the worst invasive small reptiles of this island, often competing with some native small lizard species.

Southern alligator lizard, one of the worst invasive species of this island, often competing with native lizard species.

Red-eyed tree frog, one of the worst invasive species of this island, often killing off some native insect and snail species to extinction.

Pacific tree frog, one of the worst invasive species of this island, often killing off some species of native insects, spiders, and slugs to extinction.

Spotted salamander, one of the worst invasive species of this island, often killing off some beetle species to extinction

Tiger salamander, one of the worst invasive species of this island, often killing off some native species of centipedes and spiders to extinction.

Fire salamander, one of the worst invasive species of this island, often killing some native species of small moths and beetles to extinction.

Siamese fighting fish, one of the worst invasive species of this island, often competing against some native fish for food.

Prehistoric

Compsognathus, an introduced species from prehistory, they compete with native Dwarf Troodons for food and territory, although it doesn't effects the Dwarf Troodons population much.

Microraptor, one of the worst invasive species of Hațeg Island. Although they have no impact on native prehistoric creatures (including native dinosaurs, mesozoic birds, crocodilians, etc.), they cause negative impact to native modern birds by stealing food and territory.

Yi Qi, one of the worst invasive species, just like Microraptor, they don't have an impact on any prehistoric creature, but they can negatively effect native modern birds of the island by stealing food and territory.

Gastornis, a large plant-eating flightless bird was brought here accidentally, most likely zoo escapees, they have established their population in eastern parts of the island.

Long-horned bison, they cause no negative impact to Hațeg Island's grasslands, they have become a main dispersal for grass, helping grasslands of Hațeg Island to expand. Long-horned bison are one of the neighbors of Rhabdodon.

Ancylotherium, one of the introduced species of the island, they mainly feed on fruits and leaves.

Chalicotherium, another introduced prehistoric mammal species of Hațeg island, mainly feeding on fruits and leaves.

Embolotherium, another introduced species of prehistoric mammal of Hațeg Island, they are very common in grasslands of Hațeg Island in modern times, along with the Long-horned bison, Rhabdodon, and Titanosaurs.

A pack of Hyaenodon, another introduced prehistoric mammal, are hunting a lone Embolotherium.

A Muranthosarchus, another introduced species, scaring off a pack of Hyaenodons to steal their carcass of a baby Embolotherium. They were once thought to be Andrewsarchus, but as their DNA confirms, these Andrewsarchus-like and Andrewsarchus-sized scavengers are actually not Andrewsarchus or relatives, but a Mesonychid, making it one of the largest Mesonychid species and among the largest land mammal carnivore on earth, along with Andrewsarchus and the Short-Faced Bear.

A Cetofelis, another introduced species of prehistoric mammal, is one of the main rivals of nonnative Hyaenodons, gray wolves, vampires, and native predators including Pyroraptors, etc.

Amphicyon, another introduced species of prehistoric mammal, is one of the rivals of Cetofelis, Hyaenodons, and some other predators.

Cynodictis, another introduced species of prehistoric mammal, like the Amphicyon (the more famous species of bear-dog), is one of the main introduced predators of the island, along with Amphicyon, Hyaenodons, Cetofelis, etc.

Megaloceros, another introduced species, is now a very common sight in much of the island's grasslands alongside Long-horned bison, Embolotheriums, Rhabdodons, Titanosaurs, etc.

Ancient bison

Steppe mammoth

Steppe bison

Greater Diplodocus

Blue-sided Brachiosaurus

Sunset Parasaurolophus

Struthiomimus

Giant Carnotaurus

Saltasaurus

Prenocephale

Dinofelis

Thylacine

Macrauchenia

Toxodon

Quagga

Hipparion

Zuniceratops

Formerly Fictional

Forest Flish, one of the introduced species of the island that was brought back through universe travel, and are thriving very well, despite competition with modern and prehistoric birds.

Forest dragon, another introduced species from another universe. These dragons mainly hunt wild boars, tapirs, and small to medium size dinosaurs.

Vampire, one of the worst invasive species of the island, not only the can turn humans, wild dylanuses, and domestic dylanuses into vampires by biting, but they also can sometimes compete with native Pyroraptors and Tarascosauruses for territory and prey.

Mountain dragon

Prehistoric dragon

Marine dragon

Alpine dragon

Gila dragon

Common rabbuck

Strank

Long-necked gigantelope

Tropical Gigantelope

Rundihorn

Horrane

Leopard civet

Jackal mongoose

Jackalope

Ligocristus

Djidro

Zouyu

Novabra

Dawon

Shagrat

Nuevapuma

Sker buffalo