Species: N.agilis
Animal Class: Small
Standard Containment Procedures:
Flocks of up to sixteen (16) N.agilis individuals are to be kept in containment pens with a minimum floor area of one thousand (1000) square meters with fencing of these containment pens to be of ‘low’ classification, however provisions should be made to ensure that the fences are rooted deep into the ground to prevent the creation of escape tunnels by N.agilis individuals. The fencing and status of any burrows in containment are to be checked once every three days by maintenance and keeper staff respectively.
Containment pens for N.agilis groups are to be made up primarily of dense woodland with consistent patches of thicker ground cover for individuals to hide in should they feel threatened. Alongside this containment area’s should also feature multiple dust or sand filled dips in the ground to facilitate dust bathing by N.agilis individuals, these dips should be large enough to fit the majority of the owning parks N.agilis specimens in containment. Feeding for N.agilis individuals is to primarily be comprised of approximately one (1) kilogram of plant matter per individual per day (this amount must be doubled during seasons in which browsing from the containment pen is insufficient), this is to also be supplemented by providing of large insects once a week for N.agilis individuals to eat.
Recall procedures for N.agilis individuals follow standard Class D Ornithischian Containment Procedures. Usage of lethal force is strictly prohibited due to the lack of threat N.agilis individuals present to park patrons and staff, however, issuing of both tranquilizer rifles and net guns is fully authorised and does not require the consent of the board of directors for usage in recontainment of N.agilis, neither are recommended however due to large amounts of stress they can place upon individuals.
History & Description:
N.agilis is a small Ornithischian Dinosaur hailing from the Morrison Formation, and as such shares many traits with larger Morrison bipedal Ornithischians such as D.altus and C.dispar, primarily a coat of Ornithischian Feather-like integument and a high running speed, but on a much smaller frame than most of its natural neighbours with N.agilis standing at a meagre two point one nine (2.19) meters in length and weighing approximately twenty to twenty five (20-25) kilograms on average as opposed to the significantly higher masses and lengths D.altus and C.dispar can reach. As for its appearance N.agilis is primarily covered in a somewhat thick coat of Ornithischian feather-like integument with its tail, face and lower legs being scaled. The primary colouration of N.agilis is split relatively evenly between yellowish greens and blacks; with both sets of integument N.agilis possesses sharing these colours. Throughout most of the animal this colouration is highlighted by prominent white or cream striping with full bands going along the length of the tail, alongside this the white/cream is used in an area of specialised integument around the legs of N.agilis to contrast with its dark base colouration, this part of N.agilis has been seen in active use for displaying to other members of an N.agilis flock. Physically N.agilis possesses few truly noteworthy traits until viewed from up close; the jaw of N.agilis contains relatively large teeth and is tipped off with a sudden dip leading into a beak, something the upper jaw lacks.
When keeping N.agilis it is often best to keep it alongside other, larger herbivores to aid in keeping it comfortable, as N.agilis when alone is often quite a skittish animal and often reacts as if threatened when an individual can see park patrons observing it in its containment pen, however the presence of other, larger, herbivores in the containment area tends to lessen this significantly. As such it is highly recommended that, to enable the best viewing conditions for park patrons that N.agilis individuals are kept alongside larger Morrison herbivores such as S.stenops, B.excelsus and H.priscus. However, despite the comfort keeping N.agilis with larger herbivores brings to the animals themselves it is worth noting that N.agilis should not be kept with other animals that have any kind of feathering or fur due to the nesting habits of N.agilis in which individuals often pull feathers and fur from other animals to use in nest construction, thus during breeding season it is often recommended that goose or other feathers are provided for N.agilis individuals to utilise in nest construction.
At a rating of 1 star N.agilis sees almost no representation within private collections, and thus lacks the usual cases of wild instances associated with Dinosaurs within the private trade, however its small size and relative ease of care alongside its willingness to be alongside near on any larger herbivore has enabled N.agilis to become one of the most commonplace Dinosaurs in parks, filling out the ranks of most herbivore based-containment areas with ease and adding a touch of life to the undergrowth of a park.
