Dinosaurs reigned for an extraordinarily long time: from 250 million years ago until a volcanic and cosmic extinction event 65 million years ago all but wiped them out.
Before that, diverse dinosaurs dominated land ecosystems that we now call our own, while pterosaurs and marine reptiles thrived in the skies and seas.
Then, as now, diversity was key for survival. Every dinosaur muscled into its own particular niche – massive herbivores, fierce fanged predators, spiked defenders. But not all at once. In fact Steg and T-Rex never stomped ground at the same time.
The Dino’s reign of power came to a fiery end due to volcanic and asteroid activity which scorched the surface of the planet destroying all of the land-based dinosaurs.
But…comparatively tiny mammal-like creatures that had previously scuttled around their feet were able to survive on what little was left and went on to become the diverse mammals that fill all today’s ecological niches. Including Humankind!
The winged dinos – some of whom had been able to migrate away from the catastrophe – evolved across 60 million years into the true descendants of giant prehistoric royalty… the birds!
Visit Zoorassic Park now and in coming months to see our array of towering dinos evolve across the heart of the Zoo. Walk through ancient forests and imagine what Earth would be like today if the asteroids had simply gone whizzing by.
- FREE with your Zoo entry
- 12:00pm and 2:30pm every day
- No booking required