Building a park is easy. Keeping the inhabitants from eating the guests is the hard part. If you’ve spent any time in Frontier Developments' sequel, you know the Jurassic World Evolution 2 dino list is basically a massive, breathing puzzle. It isn't just a list of names; it's a complex ecosystem of requirements, social hierarchies, and—let’s be honest—total chaos when the power goes out.
Most players jump in thinking they’ll just hatch a T-rex and call it a day. Big mistake.
The roster has grown significantly since the first game, especially with the 2024 and 2025 updates that added niche species most people have never even heard of. We aren't just talking about the movie stars like Blue the Raptor or the Indominus Rex anymore. We’re talking about prehistoric marine reptiles that need specific salt levels and pterosaurs that will actually break out of their aviaries if you don't give them enough "rocky" terrain.
The sheer scale of the Jurassic World Evolution 2 dino list
Honestly, the sheer volume of animals is overwhelming. When the game launched, we had around 75 species. Now? Between the Deluxe Edition, the Dominion expansions, and the various species packs (like the Cretaceous Predator or Marine Species packs), the total sits well over 100. It’s a lot to manage.
You’ve got your classic land-dwellers. Then you have the flyers. Then the swimmers.
What's fascinating is how Frontier differentiated them. In the first game, a Gallimimus was basically just a smaller Struthiomimus with a different skin. In the Jurassic World Evolution 2 dino list, the AI is much more distinct. Pack hunters like the Deinonychus or the Velociraptor will actually coordinate their attacks on larger prey. If you put a lone raptor in a pen with a Brachiosaurus, it might just hiss. Put a pack of five in there? They’ll leap onto the sauropod’s back and bring it down in a flurry of feathers and scales. It’s brutal. And impressive.
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Why the "Star Rating" is a trap
New players always chase the five-star dinosaurs first. They want the Giganotosaurus or the Spinosaurus immediately because those animals have the highest appeal ratings. But here is the reality: those high-appeal carnivores are a logistical nightmare.
High appeal equals high drama.
A Tyrannosaurus Rex requires a massive amount of space and very specific forest-to-open-space ratios. If a storm hits and the fences fail, that T-rex is going to cost you millions in lawsuits. Meanwhile, a well-managed herd of Parasaurolophus or the bioluminescent variations from the Camp Cretaceous DLC can generate steady income with almost zero risk of a massacre.
The Marine and Avian revolution
We have to talk about the lagoons and aviaries. This was the biggest addition to the sequel. The Jurassic World Evolution 2 dino list finally went underwater and into the sky.
The Mosasaurus is obviously the headline act for the lagoons. It’s enormous. It eats sharks. It looks cool. But have you tried managing the Tylosaurus or the Attenborosaurus? These creatures require different water depths and social groups. The Ichthyosaur is a great "starter" marine reptile, but it’s basically the goldfish of the Jurassic world—easy to keep, but it won't draw the big crowds.
Aviaries are equally tricky. The Pteranodon and Cearadactylus are staples, but the Quetzalcoatlus is the real king of the skies. It's roughly the size of a small airplane. Watching it walk on all fours in the aviary is genuinely unsettling in the best way possible.
Beyond the movies: The deep cuts
Frontier didn't just stick to the Jurassic Park or Jurassic World films. They went deep into the fossil records.
Take the Yutyrannus. It’s a feathered carnivore that actually looks like a giant, angry chicken from hell. Or the Qianzhousaurus, often called "Pinocchio rex" because of its long snout. These additions make the Jurassic World Evolution 2 dino list feel more like a paleontology simulator and less like a movie tie-in.
- Pachyrhinosaurus: Often ignored in favor of the Triceratops, but its lack of horns makes it a unique visual addition to herbivore enclosures.
- Amargasaurus: A sauropod with double rows of spines. It’s small for a long-neck, making it easier to fit into tighter park layouts.
- Minmi: A tiny ankylosaurid. It’s adorable, easy to satisfy, and surprisingly popular with guests.
One of the most common misconceptions is that you can just mix any herbivores together. You can't. The "Liked" and "Disliked" species system is brutal. If you put a Triceratops in with a Stegosaurus, they will fight. They won't just be unhappy; they will actively try to kill each other.
Technical nuances of the roster
The genetics system in this game is light-years ahead of the predecessor. When you’re looking at your Jurassic World Evolution 2 dino list in the hatchery, you aren't just looking at species. You’re looking at traits.
You can modify their DNA to make them more docile, more long-lived, or more prone to fighting. If you’re running a "Chaos Theory" mission, you might actually want aggressive dinosaurs to satisfy certain objectives. In a standard Sandbox park, you’ll probably want to pump them full of "Social" and "Humble" traits so they don't mind living in smaller enclosures.
The Dominion effect
The Jurassic World Dominion expansions changed the game's meta. It introduced "feathered" variants for many existing species. This wasn't just a cosmetic swap. The feathered T-rex or the Therizinosaurus (the "tickle monster" with the massive claws) added a layer of scientific accuracy that fans had been begging for.
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The Therizinosaurus is particularly interesting. It’s a herbivore, but it’s as territorial as any predator. It will fight a T-rex. And it will often win.
Managing the bio-diversity
If you want a successful park, you need to balance your Jurassic World Evolution 2 dino list across different categories.
- The Crowd Pleasers: T-Rex, Spinosaurus, Indominus Rex, Mosasaurus.
- The Backbone: Edmontosaurus, Nasutoceratops, Gallimimus.
- The Specialists: Dimetrodon (technically a synapsid, not a dino), Lystrosaurus.
Don't ignore the scavengers. The Compsognathus (Compy) is tiny. You can put them in almost any carnivore enclosure. They act as a "clean-up crew" and boost the appeal of the enclosure without taking up extra space or requiring new terrain. Just... don't let them get near the guests. They're nippy.
The Coelophysis is another great early-game carnivore. It's fast, cheap to produce, and doesn't require the massive security infrastructure that a Baryonyx does.
Common mistakes with the dino list
People forget about the Paleo-medical facility.
Every animal on the Jurassic World Evolution 2 dino list is susceptible to different diseases. Some get the common cold. Some get "Avian Flu." Some get "Cryptosporidiosis." If you have a massive, diverse park, a single sick Struthiomimus can trigger a pandemic that wipes out your prize Brachiosaurus.
You need to keep your MVU (Mobile Veterinary Unit) ready.
Another mistake? Ignoring the "Alpha" status. In a pack of raptors, one will be the Alpha. If you hatch a new raptor with the "Strong" trait, it will challenge the existing Alpha. They will fight. One might die. You have to manage the social dynamics, not just the hunger bars.
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Actionable insights for your park
If you're looking to master the Jurassic World Evolution 2 dino list, stop treating it like a collection of statues. It's a management of personalities.
First, always check the "compatibility" tab before releasing a new species into an existing enclosure. Just because they’re both herbivores doesn't mean they’ll get along.
Second, use the "Batch Hatch" feature to ensure social needs are met instantly. Many species, like the Muttaburrasaurus, have a minimum social requirement of three or four. If you hatch one at a time, the first one will become stressed and start attacking the fences before the second one even arrives.
Third, invest in the "Automatic Outpost" upgrades. It saves you from having to manually click every dinosaur just to see if it’s hungry or sick.
Finally, don't be afraid to sell your dinosaurs. If a particular Carnotaurus is a "troublemaker" trait-wise and keeps breaking out, get rid of it. The headache isn't worth the appeal points.
Focus on building specialized zones. A "Triassic Zone" or a "Cretaceous Marine" area isn't just aesthetically pleasing—it makes managing the specific environmental needs of your Jurassic World Evolution 2 dino list much easier. You can set the brush tools for one specific biome and not have to constantly switch settings.
Get your park systems in order, keep your rangers fed, and for heaven's sake, double-layer your carnivore fences. It won't stop them forever, but it’ll give you time to react when the sirens start blaring.