Daniel

BASIC INFO

Name: Daniel
Pronouns: He/him

Species: Liopleurodon
Length: 5m
Life stage: subadult
Birthday: February 2nd

Setting: 
1. Liopleurodon's natural habitat - shallow seas of the Jurassic period.

2. Jurassic Park North - a part of my fursona's universe.
After the original Jurassic Park became a huge success, a new facility was opened. Aptly named Jurassic Park North, the archipelago's position made for a more temperate biome; and that in connection with new technology allowed for the re-creation and housing of a variety of new prehistoric creatures.

REFERENCES
Main ref sheet
Other references

PLEASE MIND THESE DESIGN DETAILS
-Nostril placement - close to the base of the snout, not the tip!
-His tongue and gums are blueish-purple!

BIO

Have you ever seen those videos of sharks flipping upside down to get pet by their keepers? That's Daniel for ya! Incredibly mellow, social and silly, he has practically no aggressive behaviours at all. This friendly floating marshmallow loves to seek out contact with other living creatures - be it through observing, piggyback rides, playtime or nudging and snuggling up to those he's a little bit more familiar with.

In his natural habitat he often gives a lift to other animals on his head or back and likes to watch pterosaurs fly in the sky above. He enjoys staying closer to the surface, where there's lots of light. Despite his huge size, he will often attempt swimming up as close to the reefs as he can; for no other reason than to just observe other sea critters and look for things he could play with, like seaweed, empty shells or large sand patches.

In the JP North setting, he is known for showing big interest in other animals, keepers and guests. He loves hanging out near the massive glass walls of his lagoon, where he can see people just as well as they see him. Despite having lived in that lagoon since he was a calf, he still frequently squishes his snout on the glass - the keepers believe it's not because he forgets about the glass, but rather that for some reason he finds it fun. This whole bundle of endearing traits has certainly made him a fan favourite!

Daniel was one of the first marine reptiles brought back to life in Jurassic Park North. As such, the scientists did not have a full picture on the animal's needs and behaviours yet, so his early life stage posed some challenges. The keepers quickly noticed that Daniel would spend most of the time with his head above water, leaning it against the pool's wall and remaining completely still, refusing to submerge. Arnora, one of the keepers observing Daniel's adaptation to his new environment, recalled that certain marine mammals would help their young surface in order to breathe early on; and suggested the baby liopleurodon needed this sort of "helpful nudge" as well. Arnora took up the task herself and spent several hours wading in the shallow pool, supporting Daniel from below as he finally began to move around and get a feeling of his own capabilities. This has been the beginning of a bond that continues to this day.

RELATIONS

• Arnora - his favourite keeper, even though technically she isn't officially assigned to him. She helped him adapt when he was just an infant and continued to visit him frequently as he grew, which allowed their bond to strengthen. He knows when she's going to arrive and waits for her by the staff entrance every time. This friendship motivated Arnora to learn how to swim and dive, so that she could spend more quality time with him. She often lays on his back and lets him carry her just above the water surface.

TRIVIA
In-universe trivia:
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Meta trivia:
- He first came to be as a plushie - he was the first plush I've ever made!
- His name is loosely inspired by Daniel from the game series "Amnesia", but there's no further link between them.