From the source rules

Who goes first in Dino Garden?

UCHIBACOYA · English base-game manual · multiplayer opening · 2–4 players

Choose the starting player by any method. Put their Owner token on the “1st” space of the Standby track, then place the other players’ tokens above it in clockwise seating order.

Rule details

The initial seating order sets up the tokens. During the Action phase, the Owner token farthest behind on the Main track acts next and can act again if still farthest behind; turns do not necessarily follow seating order.

At the start of a round, a lower Owner token on the Standby track counts as farther behind. An Owner token cannot stop on a space occupied by another Owner token.

After moving to Standby, that player takes no further Action-phase turn that round. Next Round Preparation begins the next round with the Owner token at the bottom of the Standby track.

Two-player play uses an unused-color dummy Owner token called Lucy, initially on the third Standby position. When Lucy is farthest behind, move Lucy to the nearest possible space ahead on the Main track; if none is available, move Lucy to the lowest available Standby space. This does not replace the initial human starter choice.

Solo play uses the stated three-player setup and play rules with solo changes, no Lucy and only your own Owner token moving. A multiplayer starter choice is inapplicable.

The source link opens the publisher-linked shared folder. Select “«Зоосад. Дино» правила на Английском языке.pdf.pdf”; the starting instruction is on PDF spread 3, printed page 4, setup step 22.

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