When we think of the dinosaur age, it’s easy to assume that these fascinating creatures ruled the planet alone. They dominate our imagination and pose all sorts of questions about how Earth was millions of years ago. But dinosaurs weren’t the only animals living in the Mesozoic era (252-65 million years ago). Let’s take a look at some of the other creatures that shared their world - many of which are going strong today!

Crocodiles

Take a family day out to a zoo or aquarium and you might see some crocodiles basking in an enclosure. These reptiles didn’t arrive after the dinosaurs though - in fact, they evolved before them, around 250 million years ago. The Late Cretaceous was full of crocs and other crocodilians like Aegisuchus and Sarcosuchus, and crocodiles themselves looked very similar to how they look today. 

Snakes

Snakes are another animal that managed to survive the mass extinction event and slither all the way into the 21st century. The earliest snake fossils date to between 167-140 million years ago, meaning these slender reptiles shared the planet with Diplodocus, Allosaurus and Stegosaurus. It’s thought that the earliest snakes had legs and a more lizard-like body shape than their modern descendants. 

Sharks

Dinosaurs weren’t the only creatures to be afraid of in the Mesozoic era. Just like crocs, sharks evolved before dinos had begun to thrive, let alone dominate. Sharks have been in the oceans for some 450 million years and may even have counted aquatic dinosaurs among their food sources. In 2009, it was reported that shark teeth were found in the fossilised bones of a pleisiosaur. 

Bees

It wasn’t just large animals that survived the catastrophe which wiped out the dinosaurs. Next time you see a bee buzzing around a flower, take a moment to appreciate how old this honey-making insect is. Our striped friends are thought to have evolved around the same time as the first flowering plants, in the Cretaceous period. That means one or two may have stung a T-Rex!

Horseshoe crabs

Another invertebrate that has long outlived the dinosaurs is the horseshoe crab. You may have heard these called ‘living fossils’ - and with good reason. They first appeared around 445 million years ago, and because they evolve more slowly than other animals, they look more or less the same today as they did when they shared Earth with the dinosaurs. 

Octopuses

The oldest known ancestor of octopuses lived around 330 million years ago. In 2022, scientists in Montana found a fossil of a creature with an ink sack and ten limbs, each with suckers. It’s believed to have lived in shallow, tropical oceans and may even have had fins. Perhaps the octopus we know today lost a pair of arms and its fins through evolution during the dinosaur age? 

Discover dinosaurs near you

If you’re looking for a family fun day out this summer, don’t miss one of the most roarsome dinosaur attractions in the UK - Dinosaur World Live. This stunning theatre show introduces you to a host of prehistoric friends, from the tiny Microraptor to the terrifying T-Rex. Book your tickets today at a venue near you.