Dinosaurs roamed the earth for 130 million years, coming in all shapes and sizes from the tiny Procompsognathus to the gigantic Brachiosaurus. But if you were to go walking with dinosaurs live, you’d find that these awe-inspiring creatures didn’t just inhabit our world - they sometimes changed the very shape of it in ways that are still visible today. Let’s take a look at how. 

Making tracks

Some sites, such as the Broome Sandstone in Western Australia, show us just how fundamentally dinosaurs changed the face of the planet. The ground here was once covered with streams and lagoons that large sauropods - plant-eaters like Apatosaurus - would have had to navigate carefully. These dinos were so heavy that, as they wandered across the swampy terrain, their weight changed the sediment beneath their feet. Over time, as many dinosaurs followed the same route around a lagoon or stream, channels were created. This turned flat shorelines into uneven grounds cut through with troughs. Today, millions of years later, foot-shaped potholes still exist in the area, which is vast and rocky. 

Nesting

Believe it or not, some dinosaur species such as Maiasaura changed the shape of the land by creating vast nesting grounds. Palaeontologists believe that sites such as Egg Mountain in Montana were originally flat, but due to the return of nesting dinosaurs year after year, they became bumpy. Some dinosaurs are thought to have made bowls in the earth to cradle their eggs, churning up soil and creating the peaks and troughs that later fossilised and can now be found at the site. 

Climbing

In a less dramatic way, some dinosaurs are thought to have changed the world around them in the same way as elephants do today. Petrified sand dunes in the American state of Utah indicate that, in the Early Jurassic period, dinosaurs trying to climb the sides of sand dunes caused them to collapse. While this may not have had much impact on the dinosaurs, it would have altered the shape of the dunes that plants and invertebrates were evolving in. 

Feeding

Huge sauropods like Brachiosaurus and Triceratops played an important role in the development of plant ecosystems. These creatures ate so much vegetation that their feeding habits impacted how trees, shrubs and ferns evolved. Following the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs, plant evolution changed, with defensive features such as spines regressing and fruits becoming larger. 

Walk with dinosaurs

If you’re fascinated by how dinosaurs changed our world, don’t miss the fantastic walking with dinosaurs theatre show, Dinosaur World Live. Introducing families to a selection of prehistoric beasts - including Microraptor and Triceratops - it uses stunning puppetry to tell their story. The production is 55 minutes long, making it ideal for kids aged three and up. It’s touring the UK from February 2025; head to your local theatre website to find out more about Dinosaur World prices and to book your tickets.