Dinosaurs came in all shapes and sizes, from gentle giants like Brachiosaurus to small year fierce meat eaters like Velociraptor. But have you ever wondered which of these prehistoric creatures was the most dangerous? Here’s a rundown of the top eight.

T. rex

Tyrannosaurus Rex is a favourite among dinosaur lovers, appearing in almost every dinosaur show, movie and book. At around 12.5 metres in length, it was one of the largest predators of all time, with a bite force that could deliver up to six tons of pressure. As a clever, fast hunter too, it wasn’t a dinosaur you’d want to bump into.

Spinosaurus

Spinosaurus was even bigger than T. rex, growing up to 15 metres long. It had a long snout and crocodile-like jaws, and lived both on land and in the water. It was most dangerous to the large fish it ate, but it could also have eaten other, smaller dinosaurs.

Giganotosaurus

Roaming South America in the Cretaceous period, this large meat eater was a similar size to T. rex and had a long skull filled with sharp teeth. Although it’s not known what this giant ate, some scientists think the animals worked in packs to bring down large herbivores, making them among the most dangerous creatures of the era.

Allosaurus

Allosaurus was one of the most scary predators of the Late Jurassic, boasting razor sharp teeth and powerful limbs. It hunted large herbivores like Stegosaurus, but it’s thought that sometimes it would simply bite a chunk out of its prey and move on, leaving the animal to heal.

Utahraptor

Not all of the most dangerous dinos used their jaw strength to hunt. The Utahraptor, a feathered dinosaur of the Early Cretaceous, had a long sickle-shaped claw on its second toe, as well as large, curved claws on its hands, which it used to slash its prey. It was a dangerous dino because you wouldn’t see it coming - like tigers, Utahraptors are thought to have been ambush predators.

Ankylosaurus

We tend to think of the carnivores as the most dangerous dinosaurs, but some of the plant eaters were rather deadly too. Ankylosaurus was covered in thick armoured plates with spikes, and had a long club-like tail, one blow from which could break bones.

Stegosaurus

Another largely peaceful dinosaur with a deadly edge was Stegosaurus. Its tail was tipped with long spikes, which could be swung with great force, causing fatal injuries to any dinosaur that tried to attack it.

Carnosaurus

This meat eater lived in the Late Cretaceous in South America and preyed on large sauropods. Its flexible lower jaw and strong bite force meant it could open its mouth really wide and swallow huge chunks of meat.

Dangerous dinosaurs on tour

If you’re looking for a dinosaur adventure live, don’t miss the award-winning Dinosaur World Live, where you can meet a host of prehistoric creatures on stage. Currently touring the US, it’s the perfect introduction to theatre for children. Search ‘dinosaur event near me’ and book your tickets today.