Deinonychus

dinosaur · predator · cretaceous · theropod

Clever hunter dinosaur. Deinonychus was about as long as a tall adult is high (3.4 meters or 11 feet) and hunted other dinosaurs during the Early Cretaceous Period, roughly 115 to 94 million years ago.

Found in North America. Scientists have discovered Deinonychus fossils in Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and even as far east as Maryland, mostly in rocks called the Cloverly and Antlers Formations.

Dromaeosaur family. Deinonychus belonged to a group of theropod dinosaurs called dromaeosaurs, which were known for being smart, fast-moving hunters with special curved claws on their feet.

Probably worked together. Many scientists think Deinonychus may have hunted in groups to take down prey larger than itself, which would have made it one of the most successful predators of its time.