What were dinosaurs?

Imagine a world with no people, no houses, no cars — just enormous creatures stomping through steamy forests. That was the world of the dinosaurs, millions of years ago!

Giant reptiles of long ago

Dinosaurs were a special group of reptiles, a little like today’s lizards and crocodiles. But they lived a very, very long time before any people were born. They walked the Earth for so long that the whole time is hard to even imagine.

Some dinosaurs were the biggest animals ever to walk on land. Others were as small as a chicken! They came in all shapes — some with long necks, some with spiky tails, some with hard plates like armour.

Plant eaters and meat eaters

Not all dinosaurs ate the same food. Plant eaters munched leaves, ferns and tree tops with flat, grinding teeth. The long-necked ones could reach food high up that nobody else could.

Meat eaters hunted other animals. They had sharp teeth and strong legs for running and chasing. The famous Tyrannosaurus rex was a mighty meat eater with a huge, snapping mouth.

All kinds of dinosaurs

Because there were so many kinds, the dinosaurs all looked and lived in different ways. Each one fit perfectly into its own corner of that ancient world.

Wonder fact: The word dinosaur means “terrible lizard” — but many of them were gentle plant nibblers who wouldn’t hurt a fly!