Meet the Velociraptor: Fun Facts and Cool Pictures
Written by Julian Hawking
The author sets out to set straight the facts about velociraptors made famous in the Jurassic Park movie, which are in many ways misleading. They were not huge animals, probably the size of a large chicken; they were appear to have been solitary animals, and they were warm blooded, not cold blooded like the large dinosaurs roaming the earth at that time.
The velociraptor’s name means swift seizer and it flourished in the Cretaceous period about 75 million years ago, shortly before the dinosaurs were wiped from the earth by some disaster, probably a meteor. It probably did not live in the United States but in a hot, arid climate like central Asia because no skeletons have been found in the U.S. Their bones are hollow like that of a bird They probably had feathers, not the scales of cold blooded reptiles. The animal probably stood only two or three feet tall and weighed about 30 pounds similar to the size of a human toddler. Characteristics that the movie presented accurately include the over-sized back feet claws and the serious teeth. The velociraptor had a large brain compared to most dinosaurs and fairly sophisticated sight, hearing and smelling. They probably foraged and hunted for food and had a lifespan of about twenty years. With their long back tails, velociraptors probably had a good sense of balance and could jump very well.
So are we surprised that Hollywood actually modeled the dinosaur in the movie on the larger deinonychus, but changed the name to velociraptor because it had a better ring to it? Children and adults who are into dinosaurs now have the real scoop. I read the kindle version on an HD Fire, but the photos could not be fully appreciated. Print versions show better detail. Recommended for ages eight and up.
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10 responses to “VERACITY OF VELOCIRAPTORS”
authoraileenstewart
September 17th, 2014 at 14:28
Stopping by from the blog hop to say hello. This looks like an interesting book, especially for young boys :0)
bamauthor
September 17th, 2014 at 14:45
Anyone who loves dinosaurs or the Jurassic Park movie will love it!
snacksformax
September 17th, 2014 at 17:47
We are SO into dinosaurs right now 🙂 This one is a little old for my little guy, but I will keep it in mind for the future. Thanks so much for sharing in the KLBH!
bamauthor
September 17th, 2014 at 20:46
You are welcome. Always a good idea to keep a running list for future reference.
kentuckygal50
September 18th, 2014 at 21:42
Visiting from Booknificent Thursdays. My 11 year old daughter is just about RABID in her interest about dinosaurs, so this looks like a good read for her! (She has close to 100 dinosaur figurines of all species and sizes.)
bamauthor
September 18th, 2014 at 21:53
Wonderful to hear…is a career in archaeology or biology in her future?
LovableLobo
September 19th, 2014 at 20:43
Amazing creatures! I like that the author needed to set the record straight about the facts. Very interesting.
Katie
September 20th, 2014 at 06:02
This is really interesting, I had no idea! I’m sure a lot of dinosaur fans would be interested in this one. Thanks for sharing with the Kid Lit Blog Hop!
mommynificent
September 25th, 2014 at 09:02
I always enjoy myth-busting type books and shows! Thanks for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday! Always a pleasure to have you!
Tina
bamauthor
September 25th, 2014 at 18:03
Thanks Tina. I love discovering new books on the hop!