#thhpg

[huxley-paleozoo]

Do you have a Carnotaurus at the zoo?

Yes! You can learn more about our ‘meat-eating bull’ here.

- Joy Miller

[huxley-paleozoo]

Things have been quiet, are there any hidden updates we haven't heard of O:

Due to staff changes, things have indeed gotten quiet. I can’t say much right now but it’s always worth checking back in!

- Joy Miller

[huxley-paleozoo]

Do you have a visual map of the park? Ooh, and, any ceratopsians??

Yes! An overhead of the zoo can be found here.

As for ceratopsians, we currently have 5 species on display!

Aquilops

Nasutoceratops

Protoceratops

Styracosaurus

Triceratops

- Joy Miller

[huxley-paleozoo]

This blog makes me so happy. Thank you so much for running it. This is beautiful and always makes my day.

Thank you for such a lovely ask! Asks like these make us so happy!

- Joy Miller

[huxley-paleozoo]

Microraptor

Scientific name: Microraptor zhaoianus Diet: Meat, fish, and the occasional large worms Projected natural lifespan: 10 years Length: 90 cm (3 feet) Weight: 1 kg (2.2 lbs) Locality: Liaoning, China (Jiufotang Formation); 120 Ma Exhibit: Jehol Aviary

About Known from hundreds of fossil specimens, Microraptor is one of the most well-known dromaeosaurids. It’s a small, agile animal about the size of a hawk. It’s most notable for having four wings: the legs as well as the arms have long, vaned feathers. The leg wings were probably used for stability in the air. Microraptor’s tail has a short fan at the end, and its body is covered in iridescent black feathers, structured like those in modern birds.

At Huxley We have a flock of 7 Microraptor in the Jehol Aviary. They’re kept in the third section of the aviary, separated from animals they might get into conflict with.

Notable Behavior You’d think they’d be good at flying, having four wings at all. And you’re right. They’re about as competent fliers as chickens. Might not sound very impressive, but they can fly, which is a wing up on most of its relatives. You’d also think they’d be rather ungainly on the ground with their large wings and leg feathers. But nope - somehow they manage to romp around just fine. The flock will often fearlessly approach visitors. You can let them get close to you, but please don’t touch them and please restrain your children. Microraptor bites aren’t very dangerous, but they hurt.

Keeper Notes Their gregariousness has led to a couple issues. Right now we’re trying to train them to only land on leather and not on random peoples’ arms and heads.

[huxley-paleozoo]

What is your biggest and smallest (1) bird? (2) non-avian dinosaur? (3) mammal? (4) non-mammalian synapsid? (5) amphibian? (6) fish? (7) non-dinosaur reptile? (8) invertebrate?

Largest bird: TitanisSmallest bird: Carolina parakeetLargest non-avian dinosaur: BrachiosaurusSmallest non-avian dinosaur: AnchiornisLargest mammal: MegacamelusSmallest mammal: PalaeochiropteryxLargest non-mammalian synapsid: CotylorhynchusSmallest non-mammalian synapsid: HerpetoskylaxLargest amphibian: DiplocaulusSmallest amphibian: Southern gastric-brooding frogLargest fish: MegalodonSmallest fish: ArandaspisLargest non-dinosaur reptile: MosasaurusSmallest non-dinosaur reptile: LongisquamaLargest invertebrate: AnomalocarisSmallest invertebrate: Hallucigenia

- Rohan

[huxley-paleozoo]

Thylacosmilus

Scientific name: Thylacosmilus atrox Diet: Herbivorous mammals, with some supplemental fruit Projected natural lifespan: 20 years Length: 1.2 meters (4 feet) Weight: 80 kg (176 lbs) Locality: Northern Argentina; 9-3 Ma (Miocene-Pliocene) Exhibit: South America

About Thylacosmilus is one of the largest and last of the sparassodonts, a group of South American predators closely related to marsupials. It has two large saber-like teeth in the upper jaw - but unlike those of saber-toothed cats, they’re rooted far back in the skull. The lower jaw has a pair of flanges at the front that shield the saber teeth. Thylacosmilus has a relatively low bite force, instead using its powerful arms and neck to force prey into submission.

At Huxley Thylacosmilus can be found in the Cenozoic South America section. One of our younger Thylacosmilus is an ambassador animal - you can visit him at the Anning Paleontological Museum on weekends!

Notable Behavior We have three adult Thylacosmilus that we rotate through the exhibit areas. Although we gave them the opportunity to interact with each other, they did so rarely. A lot of times, when they see each other, they do what we think is a territorial display: they will open the jaws wide - up to almost 110 degrees! - and show off the saber teeth. They all use the same areas of their enclosures as a latrine, including where they mark territory.

Like the incisor teeth of rodents, the saber teeth of Thylacosmilus never stop growing through their life. In order to keep the teeth at a manageable size, we give them lots and lots of things to chew on, from durable rubber toys to rawhide and bones. They’re very good at destroying things.

Keeper Notes Have you ever been licked by a Thylacosmilus? They have huge tongues and they drool. A lot.

[huxley-paleozoo]

Allosaurus

Scientific Name: Allosaurus fragilis Diet: Carnivorous Projected Natural Lifespan: 25-30 years Length: 8.5 meters (28 feet) Weight: 1.5 tonnes (1.65 tons) Locality: United States (Morrison Formation); 155-150 Ma Exhibit: The Hub

About Allosaurus was probably the most common large theropod of the late Jurassic. Discovered in 1877, it quickly became one of the most well-known large theropods. The average Allosaurus could reach 8.5 meters, although some specimens could get larger. Its skull has thin, serrated teeth and a pair of horns on the brow ridge. Its arms are relatively powerful and have three large talons on each hand. Allosaurus was a predator of medium- to large-sized dinosaurs, which it may have taken down with an axe-like motion.

At Huxley Our Allosaurus (Belle and Elmer) live in a large scrubby paddock fairly close to the entrance.

Notable Behavior The two Allosaurus were born in different clutches - Elmer’s the slightly younger of the two. They get along intermittently. On a good day, they may greet each other with snout nuzzling and a low puffing growl. Should one want the other to leave them alone, they will indicate so with foot-stomping. If you’re wondering what the bite marks on Elmer’s face are from, it’s because he occasionally doesn’t get the message.

In the wild, Allosaurus would have hunted relatively large dinosaurs - and as fossils indicate, gotten injured a lot. Here we mostly feed them carcasses of large mammals, which they tear apart in a falcon-like manner. We’ve also experimented with “meat wall” enrichment - covering a panel with lab-grown meat to simulate the side of a large dinosaur. We’ve found that, due to their relatively low bite force, they prefer to cleave meat off the side with their arms or jaws.

Keeper Notes How to tell the two apart: Elmer has a darker beige coloration, and Belle has a slightly more extensive protofeather covering.