Isla Sorna Development

Lore & Background

Long before guests ever boarded a boat for Isla Nublar, thousands of acres of Sorna's jungle teemed with life under a rugged industrial philosophy. Unlike the manicured containment of its neighbor, Site B allowed animals to roam freely within designated zones until maturity required shipment. The island featured a central hub, helicopter pads, and road networks that eventually succumbed to decay after InGen abandoned the site. Following the 1993 incident, human maintenance ceased, causing pristine facilities to be reclaimed by vegetation as rusting vehicles and crumbling concrete became part of the landscape for new apex predators. Over subsequent years, the dinosaurs adapted to hunt one another, shifting population dynamics into a volatile, natural balance where nature proved it could not be contained by fences or corporate mandates.

In Their Own Story

In August 2001, a divorced couple named Paul and Amanda Kirby deceived paleontologist Alan Grant into guiding an aerial tour of Isla Sorna to find their missing son, Eric. The Kirbys claimed they had permission to fly there, but upon arrival, mercenary associates Udesky and Cooper knocked Grant unconscious and forced the pilot, Nash, to land. A massive Spinosaurus immediately attacked their plane during take-off, killing Cooper and Nash while swallowing Paul's satellite phone. Survivors fled into the forest, encountering a Tyrannosaurus that was promptly defeated by the Spinosaurus. The group eventually discovered the InGen compound, where they were attacked by a pack of Velociraptors that killed Udesky after Billy Brennan stole raptor eggs to fund a dig site. After navigating an aviary filled with Pteranodons and surviving multiple encounters with the Spinosaurus, the survivors reached the coast where they were ambushed by raptors seeking the stolen eggs before being rescued by U.S. Marines and Navy personnel summoned by Ellie Sattler.

Reader's Guide

The history of Isla Sorna begins as InGen's secret construction site, where dinosaurs were bred and raised before being shipped to Isla Nublar for public display. During this phase, the island was a bustling industrial hub with strict containment protocols and heavy machinery operating around the clock. Following the 1993 incident on Isla Nublar, InGen evacuated most personnel but left the animals behind at Site B. Over several years, the facility fell into complete disrepair as nature reclaimed the infrastructure. The dinosaurs adapted to their environment, forming a self-sustaining ecosystem where predator and prey coexisted without human intervention. In 2001, a rescue mission involving a family and mercenaries landed on Sorna after their plane crashed, forcing them to navigate dangerous terrain while evading various dinosaurs, including the newly introduced Spinosaurus which replaced the Tyrannosaurus as the main lead dinosaur.

Did You Know?

• A Spinosaurus replaces the Tyrannosaurus from previous films as the main and lead dinosaur on Isla Sorna.
• The island's existence remained hidden until a family in 2001 was forced to land there after being deceived into an aerial tour.
• Billy Brennan attempted to steal Velociraptor eggs to fund a dig site, which directly resulted in raptor attacks against the human survivors.
• In August 2001, filming for the movie depicting events on Isla Sorna began in Hawaii before moving to California with a $93 million budget.