231.4 million years ago, dinosaurs roamed Yellowstone, nestled in the Grand Tetons and called White Mountain home.
Fast-forward to today. Wyoming has become a haven for fossil seekers and dino-lovers. From the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis, to the Glenrock Paleontological Museum, the Cowboy State is home to many Jurassic adventures!
Before you go on your next dino journey, become an expert in the fossils you see.
Here are 5 great facts to get you started:
1. Scientists can tell how big a dinosaur was, what it ate and where it lived based on looking at teeth alone.
2. The average T-Rex had a mouth full of 50 serrated teeth, each measuring up to 8 inches long. These teeth could easily slice through flesh and bones, allowing this dinosaur to eat up to 500 pounds in one bite.
3. The Hadrosaur had more teeth than any other dinosaur – sometimes as many as 1,000! Although this species ate only plants, it used its many teeth to grind down fibrous plants.
4. The Apatosaurus had teeth, but wasn’t able to chew. Instead it likely swallowed plants whole, and then ingested small stones to help with digestion.
5. Plant-eating dinosaurs never ran out of teeth. A new tooth could resurface as quick as 35 days.
What’s your favorite dinosaur? Let us know in the comments!
