When you think of meat-eating dinosaurs, which prehistoric beasts come to mind? The ferocious T-Rex maybe? Or the fast and furious Velociraptor? In reality, there were about 100 dinosaurs that ate meat including the Carnotaurus, Eoraptor, Guanlong and Microraptor. Some of these were omnivores, munching on anything meat or plant-based they could find. But here are ten interesting facts about carnivores.

Want to know more? Then don’t forget to book Dinosaur World Live, one of the best educational children’s dinosaur shows to play in London this summer at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

1. 1. All flesh-eating dinosaurs belonged to the Theropod group. They ranged in size from the small Microraptor to the great Tyrannosaurus Rex and Giganotosaurus.
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3. 2. Carnivores had sharp teeth and claws. These were used to kill and eat prey. Some Theropods also had extremely powerful jaws that could clamp down on creatures and crush bones before meal time really began.
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5. 3. Carnivores were also scavengers. As well as hunting and killing their own prey, they’d also eat carcasses that had already been killed by other predators. This was risky business as the original predator would often turn on the one stealing its meal.
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7. 4. Carnivores had knife-like, serrated teeth. These had edges as sharp as blades, purposefully designed to rip up meat for consumption.
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9. 5. Tyrannosaurus Rex had 50 to 60 solid teeth as big as bananas. These would have looked extremely frightening. However, herbivores had many more smaller teeth, with Hadrosaurs boasting around 960.
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11. 6. Theropods such as the Tyrannosaurus Rex used their large heads for catching and killing prey. This reasoning could explain why their forelimbs didn’t grow as much as the rest of their bodies did.
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13. 7. The Spinosaurus is the longest carnivorous dinosaur currently known. Fossil records show that it was around three times the length of an African elephant and more than 20% heavier.
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15. 8. The smallest known carnivorous dinosaur that lived during the Jurassic period was the Compsognathus. This was about the size of a chicken and had a diet that consisted mostly of small vertebrates.
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17. 9. Carnivorous dinosaurs ate lizards, turtles, eggs and early mammals. Fearsome dinos like the T-Rex would also eat other dinosaurs including its own species if the opportunity arose. Palaeontologists from the United States and Canada found bite marks on the giants’ bones that were made by other T-Rex dinosaurs.
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19. 10. Carnivores typically had long, strong legs. This would make it much easier for them to run after and pounce on their prey.

If you love dinosaurs and are looking for ‘live theatre shows near me,’ don’t miss Dinosaur World Live. This show features spectacular puppetry, mind-blowing facts and plenty of interactive moments. Come face-to-face with your favourite prehistoric creatures and learn more about what life was like on Earth millions of years before humans evolved. When searching for ‘live plays near me’ you won’t find a more unique and engaging production suitable for kids and adults alike.