Two new dinosaurs unearthed in our Dinosaur Realm! Learn more about the Dilophosaurus and Maiasaura!
Discover more on a prehistoric journey as you come face-to-face with creatures from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous period! Whether your favourite dino is a herbivore or carnivore, our Dinosaur Realm is the ultimate destination within the Zoo for any adventure!
Dilophosaurus
die-LOAF-oh-sore-us
Meaning: ‘Two-crested lizard’
CAUTION! You may get wet!
Be careful as you venture past this prehistoric creature as they have been known to spit!
Dilophosaurus gets its name from the double crest on top of the skull, which were likely to be covered in hard keratin (like our fingernails).
Dilophosaurus was a large theropod – meaning it moved on two legs and had hollow bones, giving them a lightweight build useful for running down prey.
Maiasaura
My-ah-SORE-ah
Meaning: ‘Good mother lizard’
Have you been to our Palaeontology Hub?
Fossil specimens have provided the first evidence of parental care among dinosaurs.
Maiasaura was a large duck-billed dinosaur, growing approximately 9m long and weighing around 2500kg.
Similar to seabirds, it is thought that herds of Maiasaura formed large nesting colonies with nests spaced less than 7m apart.
