If you love dinosaurs, then you’ve probably already heard of the Brachiosaurus. This gentle giant was one of the largest animals to ever walk on Earth, and it roamed the planet during the Late Jurassic period, around 154-153 million years ago. Here are some interesting Brachiosaurus facts that you might not know.
1. Size and Weight
The Brachiosaurus was one of the largest dinosaurs ever discovered. It stood up to 40-50 feet tall, which is equivalent to a five-story building! Its length was about 85 feet, which is the length of three school buses. It weighed between 100 tons, which is about the weight of 20 elephants.
2. Diet
The Brachiosaurus was a herbivore, which means it only ate plants. Its long neck allowed it to reach tall trees and eat leaves that other dinosaurs couldn’t reach. It probably ate up to 880 lbs of vegetation every day!
3. Anatomy
The Brachiosaurus had some unique anatomical features that set it apart from other dinosaurs. It had a long neck that it used for feeding on leaves from tall trees. Its front legs were longer than its back legs, which made it look like it was standing on its tiptoes. It also had a very small head compared to its body, and its nostrils were located at the top of its head.
4. Habitat
The Brachiosaurus lived in what is now Africa, North America, and Europe. It preferred areas with forests and wetlands where it could find plenty of vegetation to eat.
5. Discovery
The first Brachiosaurus fossils were discovered in western Colorado in 1900 by Elmer S. Riggs, a paleontologist from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Since then, many other fossils have been found in North America, Europe, and Africa.
6. Extinction
The Brachiosaurus went extinct around 145 million years ago, during the early Cretaceous period. It’s not entirely clear why this happened, but it’s believed that changes in the climate and vegetation may have played a role.
