Dinosaur Profile

Tyrannosaurus rex

"Tyrannosaurus" (Greek tyrannos = "ruler" + Greek sauros = "lizard")

Also known as "T-Rex"

Size: 13 meters (42 feet)

Period: Late Cretaceous (68 million to 65 million years ago)

Place: Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, New Mexico, Mongolia, China

Originally believed to be the most dangerous hunter ever to have walked the earth, the T-Rex has lived up to expectations. An enormous skull (approximately 1.5 meters, or 4.5 feet) contains a powerful set of dagger-shaped teeth, measuring 8 to 16 centimeters (3 to 6 inches) in length and 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) wide. Its extremely functional arms (90 centimeters, or about 3 feet long) can lift weights approaching 500 pounds, and the highly-developed legs allow the creature to run nearly 25 miles per hour. Add the incredibly developed senses - including binocular vision, superior hearing and a keen sense of smell - and one begins to believe all of the hype.

Environment: The original plan was to insert the T-Rex in the plains and semi-arid regions, as the Park's designers hoped to impress crowds with its dazzling hunting abilities. The beast has proven to be a bit of a disappointment in the showmanship department, however, tending to conceal itself in the forest.

Feeding: Adding to this disappointment is the realization that, when able, the carnivorous T-Rex prefers to scavenge the remains of dead meat rather than hunting for fresh prey.

Habits: Despite all the trappings, the T-Rex has repeatedly demonstrated a kindly nature. Seemingly content to dine on carcasses in the quiet seclusion of the forest, the T-Rex has turned out to be Jurassic Park's unlikely model citizen.

Ops Notes: While the T-Rex has failed to live up to its original (and overly optimistic) expectations, the Genetics Division maintains high hopes of effecting a serious attitude adjustment. Recent efforts have concentrated on increasing the creature's visibility.