Therizinosaurus

dinosaurs · giant claws · Asia · Late Cretaceous

A True Giant. Therizinosaurus was one of the largest dinosaurs that ever lived, with a body as long as a school bus and claws on its front hands that could grow over a foot long, like giant scythes.

Incredible Claws. This dinosaur's name literally means 'scythe lizard' because of its enormous curved claws on its hands. Scientists think it might have used these claws to pull down branches or dig, since such huge claws would be tricky for fighting.

Desert Discovery. The first bones of Therizinosaurus were found in 1948 in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia by explorers looking for fossils. Since then, scientists have only found a few bones, but each discovery tells us more about this strange creature.

Two Legged Walker. Even though it had those epic claws on its front limbs, Therizinosaurus walked on its hind legs like other large dinosaurs, making it one of the oddest looking creatures of the Cretaceous period.

Ancient Timeline. Therizinosaurus lived during the Late Cretaceous period, roughly 70 to 90 million years ago, long before the last dinosaurs went extinct.