Episode 2: Frozen Ferocities

230 million years ago, a new group of animals arrived on the scene. Nothing, before or after, were like them. They are perhaps the most extraordinary creatures of all time. The dinosaurs. For 160 million years they dominated the Earth. From as far north as Alaska, To as far south as Antarctica. From the plains of Australia, to the forests of America. The dinosaurs were one of lifes great success stories. Now, take a journey back in time and experience their world. The world of these Mesozoic marvels.

Episode 2: Frozen Ferocities

As the sun rises on the Jurassic about 200 million years ago, life begins to stir. The dinosaurs have taken over the world and now rule every corner. In what will become Antarctica, dinosaurs battle for survival in the soon to be frozen wasteland. Temperatures are slightly higher than they are today. However, it’s still bitterly cold, especially in the winter. It’s high summer and the plant life is flourishing. With so much to eat, dinosaurs are able to reach greater sizes.

Glacialisaurus is your typical prosauropod. It’s one of the larger members of the group. Adults stretch over 23 feet in length and weigh over 2 tons. Their long tails make good weapons, as does the safety of the herd.

A large herd of Glacialisaurus is starting to make its way to the local watering hole. The herd is eventually joined by an assortment of other prosauropods. The watering hole is fed, not by rivers, but by the winter snows. The herd begins to spread out. Some go to drink at the lake, while others begin to feed on the surrounding vegetation. A few miles away however, things are not so peaceful. Two of Antarctica’s top predators are about to go head to head. How will this fight affect these prosauropods? The winner gets the hunting rights to them.

In a clearing of forest about 4 miles from the watering hole, a pair of deadly predators prepare to do battle. They are Cryolophosaurus.

Cryolophosaurus was a large predatory dinosaur from Antarctica. Adults were nearly 23 feet in length when fully grown and may have weighed over 1 ton. Cryolophosaurus had a strange crest on its head that was probably used for display.

The two predators begin to circle each other. They are young bucks vying for territory. One has a larger and brighter head crest. Normally, this would make his rival back down. But this younger Cryolophosaurus won’t. The older buck roars loudly and charges the smaller predator. The smaller Cryolophosaurus uses his agility to sidestep the larger buck. The younger buck then slashes the older one on the flank with his hand claws. The larger buck screeches in surprise and pain. He whips around and bites down on his rivals shoulder. The younger Cryolophosaurus squirms in his jaws. He manages to lash out with one of his hands and cuts his rivals face. The older Cryolophosaurus lets go and roars as blood streams down his face. Then, the younger predator unexpectedly leaps onto the back of the larger one. He rakes his toe claws down the flank of the Cryolophosaurus and bites down on his neck. The older buck attempts to throw him off, but can’t. The young buck grabs the older one by the crest and shakes his head. He snaps off most of the crest. Finally, he jumps off of his rivals back. In a last ditch effort, the larger buck charges his smaller rival and attempts to use brute force to take him down. The young buck sidesteps and slashes the older one with his claws. The claws dig deeply into flesh and he takes out one of the older bucks eyes. The half blind Cryolophosaurus shrieks in pain. Then, he walks away humiliated. The younger Cryolophosaurus roars in victory. It just goes to show that even an underdog can beat the odds. Now, the young buck searches for a good place to rest.

A few months go by and winter is here. Dinosaurs either migrate, try to survive the hard times, or die. The herds of prosauropods have migrated to South America where its warmer. The Cryolophosaurus however, stay behind. The young buck knows what he must do to survive. He treks over 20 miles to get to special mountain. Here, dozens of Cryolophosaurus congregate to wait out the winter. They huddle under a large overhang of rock that shelters them from the snow and wind. Together, they are able to share body heat during their hibernation. As the young male approaches, he notices a particular Cryolophosaurus. He has a number of scars, a broken crest, and a missing eye. The two bucks stare at each other in surprise. Then, the young buck moves in and settles down for the winter. All rivalry between all of the Cryolophosaurus disappears. They all have one goal. Survive the winter. They all watch as the sun goes down. They won’t see it again for months. Then, the Cryolophosaurus fall asleep.

Winter is over. The sun rises again for the first time in 6 months. The Cryolophosaurus begin to wake up. Not only are they tired, but they are hungry. The Cryolophosaurus all look up to see a herd of Glacialisaurus moving by. The herds have returned.

Despite the large size of the polar dinosaurs, they are not nearly as big as they will be. In a few million years, true giants will appear and Earth will enter a time of titans.

Next Week on Mesozoic Marvels...

The late Jurassic was an extraordinary time for dinosaurs. Here, dinosaurs across the globe reached truly immense sizes. Africa was no exception. Join us next time as we travel back and explore this time of titans.