"In prehistoric South America, starting out can be rough." "Rougher still, staying alive." "But for a plucky dinosaur like Alpha, dodging hungry predators is a constant routine." "When she grows up, she'll be one of the biggest dinosaurs alive." "Still, danger lurks behind every tree." "Stalking her is Dragonfly, a predator with a big bite, and a will to use it." "An encounter with him is a brush with death." "As time goes by, their paths will cross many times, in frightening and unexpected ways." "For one remarkable dinosaur, the journey through life is a heart pounding adventure." "It all begins 80 million years ago in Alpha's egg." "DINO PLANET" "ALFA Narrador:" "Christian Slater" "PATAGONIA, SUDAMÉRICA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÑOS" "The forest echoes with the sounds of homecoming." "An annual pilgrimage is nearing its end." "These titans, called Saltasaurs, have been on the move for weeks." "All of them are females; generations of mothers, daughters, sisters and aunts, heading for their nesting ground in a ritual as old as time." "This is Alpha." "She's making the trip for the first time in her life." "Laden with eggs, she's anxious and weary." "The journey hasn't been easy." "These dinosaurs are constantly dodging predators, and the only protection they have is each other." "The larger the herd, the better the odds." "Still, many don't make it." "Killers on the loose." "An Aucasaur is a ton of terror, with an insatiable appetite for flesh." "The redhead is Dragonfly." "He was born at the same time as Alpha, 15 years ago, and their lives have been entwined ever since." "A quick look to be sure they're alone." "There's plenty of food for Dragonfly and his mate, but something is about to spoil their lunch, something nastier, hungrier and three times bigger:" "Carcharodontosaurus." "To them, everything that moves is a potential meal." "Millions of years have passed since the last sauropods roamed the plains of North America." "Here, in South America, Saltasaurus continue to thrive, each year returning to nest and lay a new generation of eggs." "Leaving the forest behind, they move into the open." "A flat river plain, larger than 3 football fields." "Year after year, female Saltasaurus have come here to lay their eggs." "Alpha's back for the first time since she was born." "She's small, only 25 feet long, but in time, she'll reach her full adult size of 35 feet." "Like all sauropods, Alpha operates on instinct." "Her brain is the size and shape of a small banana, the smallest brain to body ratio of any dinosaur." "But she's a good learner." "Alpha needs to find a place to lay her eggs, but she's not the first to arrive." "These older females are veterans at building nests." "This spot must be good." "A subtle scolding warns her off." "As Alpha walks through the growing maze, she senses the need for caution and watches her step." "She doesn't know what drives her, but her instincts tell her to keep moving, searching." "About here?" "Her feet tell her the ground is firm, yet warm and sandy." "This is it." "On impulse, she begins to dig." "Heated by the sun, the sand is a natural incubator." "Alpha's never done this before." "But by the end of the season, hundreds of females like her will lay thousands of eggs to secure the next generation and complete the cycle of life." "It's hardwired in all creatures to perpetuate their species." "Otherwise, all life would cease to exist." "The next generation lays in clutches of 20 to 40 eggs each." "Not all of them will make it, but by sheer numbers, they've got a fighting chance." "Like the other mothers, Alpha has one last job." "Falling in step, she heads for the forest, to get branches to shelter her nest and incubate her eggs." "15 AÑOS ANTES" "Alpha's own story began here, in this same spot, when she was in her egg." "Her mother carried branches from the same forest to insulate her nest." "The branches protected the eggs from exposure to the sun." "When Alpha's mother's finished preparing her nest, she'll leave to rejoin the herd, abandoning Alpha and her siblings to their fate." "No larger than a human hand, Alpha's still an embryo, months away from hatching." "Her mother and the rest of the females last ate before the egg-laying began." "Now, they're weak and tired, and their offspring are all alone." "The timing couldn't be better for a hungry predator." "In 1997, 3 scientists met in Argentina to hunt for evidence of prehistoric birds." "Instead, they made a discovery that changed what we know about the largest animals ever to walk the earth, the sauropods." "SCOTT SAMPSONarrow\fs20}Museo de Historia Natural de Utah Paleontólogo de Discovery Quest" "Scattered across several square miles were thousands of egg shells." "They clustered in nests of 15 to 40 eggs, and there were hundreds of nests just like this one." "From that pattern emerged a startling revelation." "The paleontologists had stumbled upon something unique:" "a vast dinosaur maternity ward." "They dubbed the site 'Aucamahuevo', a play on the Spanish words for 'more eggs'." "From the huge number of nests, the scientists deduced that sauropods gathered here to lay their eggs." "But how does an animal standing 12 feet off the ground lay an egg without breaking it?" "Maybe the mother had an egg tube extending from her body, as some turtles do, so the eggs could gently slide to the ground." "Or maybe she managed to squat." "Whatever the case, something as simple as laying an egg still mystifies us." "And what really amazes me is that one of the largest creatures ever to walk the earth hatched from an egg a little larger than a grapefruit." "PATAGONIA, SUDAMÉRICA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÑOS" "A sentry keeps watch." "At the nesting site, thousands of eggs have been left alone to incubate." "The sentries keep some potential thieves at bay, but not all." "Still tucked in her egg, Alpha is ready to hatch and join the outside world." "Uh oh, the nursery has got a visitor." "It's the birdlike Alvarezsaurus." "These sharp-bite predators lust for eggs." "And so does the crocodile Notosuchus." "At 5 feet long, one chomp, and it's bye, bye, baby." "A passing sentry is Alpha's first lucky break." "It won't be her last." "Notosuchus punctured her shell." "Now, she's the first of her clutch to hatch." "Only 12 inches long, she stumbles into the world." "She's Alpha, the firstborn." "Instinctively, she heads back towards the nest." "The outside world can wait just one more day." "In a glade not far away, another family another sort of life." "But this time, the parents stick around." "These are Aucasaurus." "Hard to imagine predators as caring parents." "Unlike Saltasaurus, this mother fiercely guards her young." "Nobody gets in without clearance." "Not even dad." "Only when he submissively shows his throat colors, things calm down." "She can't be too careful." "Male carnivores eat their young." "This is their next generation: two females and a male." "While mother dozes, her toddlers explore the wonders of their new world." "Chasing dragonflies is fun." "Someday, this little guy, Dragonfly, will graduate to bigger prey." "His enthusiasm is part of his charm, but at times, it's also a pitfall." "The Saltasaurus' nesting site is teeming with new life;" "all hatched within the last 24 hours." "Everyone's antsy, because tonight is the night." "On some unseen cue, a living convoy of thousands of hatchlings heads for the hills." "Instinct propels them towards the forest, but death lurks in the trees." "Alpha needs to stay close to the others." "Her best shot: play the numbers." "There are many more Saltasaurus than stomachs on the prowl." "Alpha makes it through the night, but she's not out of the woods yet." "Once again, luck is on her side." "Traveling with the adults is a safer way to go." "The trick is to stay out of their way." "Alpha is still smaller than a footprint," "but she's programmed to grow fast." "These Aucasaurus are biding their time." "It's part of the drill when stalking prey." "In a few years, Alpha's size will be her best defense, but for now, she's still on the menu." "For a few precious moments," "Alpha and her siblings are safely hidden in the underbrush, but it doesn't last long." "Hurriedly stopped, they browse." "It's showtime." "The ground is littered with twigs." "Alpha spots and adult headed for a tree and follows." "Treetops are a delicacy." "Alpha's learning fast." "Why make salad when you can order out?" "Someone else is on the learning curve." "These Aucasaur parents have their toddlers in tow, teaching them to hunt." "While the adult Saltasaurs form up to make a stand, the hatchlings make a run for the trees." "Alpha's on the opposite side of the clearing, out of danger for the moment." "The other hatchlings are not." "Their fate rests with that curious little bug chaser, Dragonfly." "Alpha is beginning to grasp what the future holds for her." "Her first encounter with Dragonfly, and quite possibly, her last." "SCOTT SAMPSONarrow\fs20}Museo de Historia Natural de Utah Paleontólogo de Discovery Quest" "An animal is most vulnerable when it's small." "So, how did a baby Saltasaurus managed to survive?" "Since hatchlings were easy targets, perhaps they quickly traded the exposed nest for the relative safety of the forest." "If hundreds or thousands of babies hatch at the same time, predators would have had more prey than they could stomach." "Safety in numbers." "The young dinosarus had a second line of defense." "Clues have been found deep inside the bones." "This cross section of a leg bone reveals how fast a sauropod grew." "The juvenile bone has lots of holes full of blood vessels, indicating a rich blood supply and rapid growth." "The adult bone has fewer holes and less blood flow." "Like tree rings, the adult bone displays lines of arrested growth." "A Saltasaur could have reached an adult size of 35 feet long in under 12 years." "At that rate, by the time a human child entered Kindergarten, it would be 15 feet tall." "For Saltasaurus, survival meant growing up fast." "PATAGONIA, SUDAMÉRICA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÑOS" "Dragonfly's attention span is pathetic." "Alpha's on a roll." "In just a few days of life, she's survived 4 brushes with death." "She might as well get used to it." "Danger will stalk her to the day she dies." "In the lush forests of Patagonia, the Saltasaurs thrive." "For plant eaters like them, the years pass without notice." "Between birth and death, one day resembles the next." "But not for Alpha." "She's now 15 years old, and she's 300 times bigger than she was at birth." "Today, she's on the verge of adulthood." "If her luck holds out, her future looks bright." "But on Dinosaur Planet, things can go wrong in a New York minute." "For now, the Saltasaurus have their side of the river, and the Aucasaurus have theirs." "Dragonfly's also grown up." "He's no longer chasing bugs." "He zeroes in on the smallest member of the herd, Alpha." "No longer a hatchling, she's no easy mark." "Dragonfly still has a thing or two to learn." "Today, there are no quick kills." "Unless the Aucasaurus are starving, there's no sense risking injury." "The herd has scoured the land for food and is once again on the move." "In the pecking order of the march, size and seniority count." "Jostled by a bigger and older female," "Alpha gives her a wide berth." "Saltasaurus are constantly looking for something to eat." "Because vegetation is hard to digest, their overblown stomachs are cauldrons of fermentation." "Alpha's hit paydirt: a tree just the right size." "But she's got company, and there's no room for two." "The sound of the fall is a dinner bell for Dragonfly and his family." "Her leg is broken." "She won't be getting up." "The noise puts the Saltasaurus on alert." "They know what's coming." "Dragonfly, again." "With fresh meat on the ground, the Aucasaurus will leave the rest of the herd alone." "Today is a big day for Dragonfly." "He's leaving home." "As long as he stays, he'll always be second fiddle to his dad." "It's time to find a mate and start his own family." "Alpha is beginning to attract suitors." "But finding a mate can be a hassle." "As leader of the herd, this male has first dibs when it comes to breeding." "To settle the score, the males engage in a shouting match, followed by pushing and shoving." "That's usually bloodless." "Eventually, somebody backs down." "The winner gets bragging rights, and, in this case, Alpha." "It's not love, it's instinct." "Still, from a clumsy giant comes the fragile gift of life." "Now the pilgrimage to the nesting ground begins again." "For the first time, Alpha knows she has to go." "But there's a hitch." "Dogging here once again is Dragonfly." "She can't take her eyes off him." "Which means she isn't watching her step." "She's hurt." "The timing couldn't be worse." "She can't stop." "She can't afford to be left behind." "Experience has taught her -all too well- the fate of stragglers." "PATAGONIA, SUDAMÉRICA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÑOS" "In the prehistoric forest, a siren calls." "Dragonfly is captivated." "To a young male in his prime, she's a babe, and... she's in heat." "Winning her over won't be easy." "She's bred to be wary." "She's gotta be sure he's fit." "Well... maybe." "Finally, she relents." "This could be the start of something big." "Leaving the cover of the forest is risky." "In combat, open ground draws heavy fire." "Of all the predators in South America, these 40-foot long Carcharodontosaurus are the elite." "Armed with cunning and teeth the size of knives, they strike at will with deadly force." "Today, a Saltasaur is going to die." "Because of her injury, Alpha's lagging dangerously behind." "Like other predators, Carcharodontosaurus usually attack the slowest and weakest member of the herd." "One thing's for sure: noone wants to be last." "If Alpha can just outpace this older female..." "In the blink of an eye, it's over." "No sadness, no sorrow." "Just business as usual." "For Alpha, it's a red-letter day." "Though lame, once again, she's beaten the odds." "Alpha's life has finally come full circle." "She's back at the nesting ground where her story began." "Here, she will leave her legacy to the next generation." "Days later, the storm of the millennium strikes without warning." "The sentries are helpless." "The ancient plain is turned back into a river." "Inch by inch, the water rises." "Fate, which has been so good to Alpha, finally deals a tragic hand." "Her first and only offspring are gone." "Tragedy drowns the nests." "It's going to be a very sad year." "SCOTT SAMPSONarrow\fs20}Museo de Historia Natural de Utah Paleontólogo de Discovery Quest" "Among the thousands of fossilized eggs discovered at Aucamahuevo, paleontologists found an ancient mystery - the remains of hundreds of tiny unborn Saltasaurus." "Some of the fossils have tiny pencillike teeth with clear signs of wear." "The unborn babies were teeth grinders, preparing themselves for life as vegetarians." "Though they never made it out of their shells." "What killed them?" "The nest seemed undisturbed, which rules out predators." "Clues to the mystery were found in the rocks." "The eggs were buried in heavy silt, signs of flooding." "But what kind?" "A flash flood that suddenly swamped the nest?" "Unlikely." "After all, the eggs weren't swept away." "Instead, maybe a heavy rain and a rising river." "Eventually, the river would overflow its banks and flood the plains." "As flood water reaches the nests, it seeps through the porous membranes, drowning each embryo in the very shell meant to protect it." "When the water recedes, it leaves the nest buried under a thick layer of mud and silt." "A disaster for the Saltasaurus proved a boon for paleontologists." "In death, these creatures give us an extraordinary glimpse into their lives." "PATAGONIA, SUDAMÉRICA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÑOS" "Alpha's injured leg hasn't healed." "She's at risk and she's alone." "Like a bad penny, Dragonfly keeps turning up." "One way or another, today is the day of reckoning." "Alpha's leg is giving out." "Her massive weight has crushed his skull." "Today, her weakness turns out to be her strength." "By destiny or dumb luck, even the underdog can beat the odds." "In time, Alpha's wounds will heal and she'll mate again." "Season after season, she'll lay more eggs and claim hundreds of Saltasaurs as her descendants." "Her life will be tough, but she'll survive to a ripe old age." "That's the destiny of Alpha's egg." "Beneath the wings of giants is a land that thunders to the tread of restless herds," "and echoes with the cries of killers, large and small." "As a hunter, Little Das is a little wet behind the ears." "But he's determined to prove himself." "His targets: a pair of prehistoric runaways, Buck and Blaze." "They must find their herd, or die." "Now, a gathering storm of fire and stone falls from the sky." "And a wall of searing heat threatens all in its path." "In a forgotten land called North America," "Little Das' hunt begins." "DINO PLANET" "LA CACERÍA DE DAS" "MONTANA, NORTEAMÉRICA HACE 75 MILLONES DE AÑOS" "75 million years ago, the Rocky Mountains were a chain of young volcanic peaks that cut through the face of North America like a great scar of stone." "Deep in the Elkhorn Range of Montana, lunch is served in the rich volcanic soil." "Berries and greens provide the Orodromeus with organic octane." "In the fast and furious world of dinosaurs, these are the roadrunners." "While life is good in the upland community, the local residents carry on their own version of neighborhood watch." "While the herd tanks up, one adult serves as a lookout." "Quetzalcoatlus are the last of the flying reptiles." "These animals, largest in the family of pterosaurs, are also the only survivors in a group driven to extinction by warm-blooded birds." "But today, they rule the air." "Measuring 21 feet, the wingspan of Quetzalcoatlus is as wide as a World War 2 fighter plane." "Quetzalcoatlus is a notorious flesh eater." "But down on the deck, the herd is calm and collected." "Quetzalcoatlus fancy fish over red meat every time." "Today, the fleet heads for the Inland Sea, some 50 miles away, to harvest fish from the shallows." "The show is over." "With the lone sentry stuck in alert mode," "the herd is more concerned with second helpings than communal security." "The picnic area they've chosen is exposed and flanked by a thick line of tree cover." "If Orodromeus are rodarunners," "Troodons are the coyotes, and yes, they are wily, too." "When evolution passed out the stealth gene, the Troodons lucked out." "By the time you see one, it's usually too late to run." "Endowed with the largest brain on Dinosaur Planet, the Troodon's nervous system is attached to a set of big, forward-looking eyes." "But for all the stealth, they're not invisible." "Orodromeus kick into overdrive, 0 to 40 in about 10 seconds." "All the Troodons get to eat so far is a mouthful of dust." "The herd scrambles, and so would the Troodons, but their scramble is just a little bit slower." "There's no sense in breaking delicate toebones on a reckless race." "Better a loser now, than a sore loser later." "The ground underfoot comes to life." "Jets of white hot steam bring the hunt to a sudden end." "Troodons are the first victims of the dark force that rules a volcanic kingdom." "Its heart is filled with a shallow sea of magma." "As the molten rock makes contact with underground springs, harmless water blasts out from the earth as searing bursts of deadly vapor." "50 miles away on the lowland plains, the continuity of life and death, predator and prey, is undisturbed." "Adolescent Maiasaurs, like Buck and Blaze, would grow to the size of dumptrucks." "Playmates born in the same season, they've become late-Cretaceous juvenile delinquents." "Buck is a young male;" "Blaze, an immature female." "The game they've chosen is called" ""Walk Away From The Herd And Let Everyone Know About It"." "By teen standards, it's already a roaring success." "When you're this big, why not make some little fun with foraging?" "Why follow the herd?" "There's one good reason:" "he's a Daspletosaurus, a.k.a. Little Das." "Juvenile himself, Little Das is here on a big job." "Buck and Blaze have isolated themselves from the safety of the herd." "Little Das' mission is to widen the gap." "Little Das is only one member of a deadly Triple Play." "Das' two older sisters now take up the chase." "But Das stays close to the hunt." "Running parallel to the chase, Little Das will help his sisters keep young Buck and Blaze on a predetermined course." "Now, the final player." "It's the mother of the pack." "Paralyzed by fear, Blaze delays their escape by one precious second, and Buck is left behind to pay the price." "Until the 1970s, large carnivores like T-Rex were depicted as lumbering behemoths." "With the emerging link between dinosaurs and birds," "T-Rex was re-cast as a swift, cunning killer that traveled in packs." "It's even been suggested that they used teamwork to hunt." "To test the speed idea, two scientists built a biomechanical computer model of T-Rex." "To run 45 mph, as some paleontologists suggest," "T-Rex would have needed 80% of its muscle mass concentrated in its legs." "Physically impossible." "The researchers concluded that T-Rex moved more like an elephant than a roadrunner, closer to 10 mph." "No problem; slow as they were, their prey were probably even slower." "What about hunting in packs?" "Some scientists argue that mass graveyards of dinosaur predators, found in places like Canada and Argentina, support the case for group living." "But, the burials only show they died at the same place." "It doesn't mean they lived, let alone hunted together." "Like some large carnivores today, tyrannosaurs may have been solitary hunters." "The jury is still out." "Two young Maiasaurs, Buck and Blaze, run straight into a kill zone." "Only Blaze manages to escape the jaws of Little Das' mother." "Little Das lives for the chase." "But sometimes, a little thing called 'attention span' gets lost in transit." "A monkey wrench thrown into a well-oiled killing machine." "And Little Das is the monkey in question." "Buck and Blaze have learned the lesson the hard way." "Especially Buck." "Both juveniles are safe for now, courtesy of the young predator's boundless enthusiasm." "Little Das has let his mother and sisters down." "Tired and hungry, the family now faces a long and restless night." "As a foraging species, Maiasaurs are outstanding in their field." "That's exactly where Daspletosaurs like to find them: outstanding in a field, unaware they're being sized up for another hit." "Little Das' mother had no trouble tracking the herd through the night." "Of all the predators, Daspletosaurs have the keenest sense of smell." "Little Das can't wait to get rolling." "This time, no mistakes." "The wounded male is a target of opportunity." "Das is totally stealth for the chase." "Sooner or later, Buck will collapse, and the herd will leave him behind." "As far as Little Das is concerned, this hunt is as good as done." "All we need to do is... find mom." "And the sisters." "Hunting for your own family is a major pain." "How could they run off like that?" "Das stumbles upon a family of another kind." "Einiosaurus are vegetarians with attitude." "The very sight of Little Das sends these two-ton browsers packing." "Is this a power trip or what?" "Huge adults fleeing for their lives?" "But the herd is not really running from Das." "The animals know that young Daspletosaurs serve as scouts for adult hunters." "Little Das has managed to run off every head of edible prey in the lowlands." "And talk about bad timing." "Hidden nearby, the pack was just about to spring on the Maiasaurs." "It's not a happy reunion." "MONTANA, NORTEAMÉRICA HACE 75 MILLONES DE AÑOS" "The noxious breath of an angry giant billows from the Elkhorn Range." "Beneath the surface, tendrils of molten rock turn ground water into sulfurous steam." "Sporadic bursts of searing vapor blast through the earth's crust." "The creatures here are unable to break this new and disturbing code." "The watering hole is a favorite for predators and prey alike." "At daybreak, a herd of Orodromeus make a pitstop." "For these high-performance running machines, frequent hydration is a must." "It's a trio of thirsty Troodons." "Troodons rely on sharp vision and speed to capture their prey." "Now, the vague but familiar scent of Orodromeus hangs in the air." "But unlike Little Das and the Daspletosaurs, the Troodons' sense of smell is not the greatest." "Volcanic fumes leech up through the spring water." "A bouquet come straight from hell." "It's a lethal mix of low-temperature gases that include sulfur dioxide and flesh-burning chlorine." "Quatzelcoatlus return from a day's hunt, their bellies filled with fish from the Inland Sea." "The great fleet goes where no Troodon has ever gone before, but would like to." "The jumbo fliers glide path is the final approach to a combination parking lot and nursery across the valley from the small volcano." "Parking space here is limited." "Every square inch is jealously guarded." "For centuries, the high ledge has served as a nesting place for countless generations of Quetzalcoatlus." "Sheer cliffs create a drop zone of 500 feet." "Take-offs and landings are a breeze, and youngsters are safe from Troodons." "Still, no creature is safe from the fuming volcano, the new apex predator of the Elkhorn Range." "The blasts drive the flying reptiles from the rookery and scatter them off the tectonic minefield of the Elkhorn Range." "The falling giants are omens of the gathering storm." "The smaller volcano dies, its subterranean pool of magma drained by a larger, more voracious peak." "Gorging on the molten rock and lethal gas of its neighbour is a geothermal monster, the greatest volcano ever to strike the western hemisphere." "Soon, even the creatures of the lowlands, some 50 miles away, will feel its heat." "Brought together by the single-handed attack of Little Das, the Einiosaurs and the Maiasaurs become fellow travelers." "Crippled and vulnerable, Buck is on the watch." "The wound on his hind leg has turned septic, and the herd will soon pass him by." "Just keeping pace with the lumbering Einiosaurus is a challenge." "But Blaze remains at his side." "There's nothing sentimental about her attachment to Buck." "It's just the instinct to bond with her own peers." "Little Das has run a wide circle around the herd." "The young predator has achieved the element of surprise." "But follow-through is crucial." "Scorn by his family," "Little Das' future as a member of the pack is now at stake." "Like many dinosaurs," "Einiosaurus is named for a trademark feature:" "its forward-curving horn." "The same is true for Triceratops, three-horned face," "Pachyrhinosaurus, thick-nosed lizard, and Centrosaurus, sharp-pointed lizard." "So, what was all this strange headgear used for?" "Defense against predators, or so paleontologists once thought." "Yet that hypothesis is full of holes." "First, Einiosaurus and its kin had only rudimentary horns and frill as youngsters, the very time they were most vulnerable." "Second, each species of horned dinosaur has a unique setup of horns and frills." "If their main purpose was defense, surely evolution would have standardized the design." "Third, many of these make for poor defense." "The nosehorn of Einiosaurus hooks forward and down, and in some places, the frill is no thicker than a few millimeters." "Our best evidence for understanding this bizarre headgear comes from living animals with similarly odd features." "We identify dinosaurs by their strange features, and the dinosaurs likely did as well." "Thanks to its distinct horns and frill, an Einiosaurus would never be mistaken for one of his horned cousins." "Virtually all of these trades are used first and foremost to identify members of the same species, and to compete for mates." "Like so much of life, it all comes down to sex." "When it comes to a kill, predators fail 9 times out of 10." "Out in the lowlands, Little Das gets a second chance to redeem himself." "And he's not about to blow it." "His target is Buck, the wounded Maiasaur." "Everyone else is just in the way." "When Blaze breaks past the herd, she runs straight into... the A-team, waiting to hit Buck." "Getting a clean shot of their prey won't be easy." "Little Das has delivered an Einiosaurus sandwich, and noone's willing to take the first bite." "Buck makes a run for it, but Little Das stays focused." "The Einiosaurus' blockade has given Buck a small lead." "The chase has taken its toll on the young Maiasaura." "And now, his young nemesis, Little Das, has locked on his new position." "Predator and prey resume their roles." "In this drama, there is no good or bad." "But now, a plot twist could turn this prehistoric pageant into a tragedy." "The great mountain is possessed by a seething ocean of magma and dissolved gas." "Titanic pressures begin to test the mountain walls from within." "The creatures of the Elkhorn Range now live beneath a time bomb filled with melted rock." "Buck suffers from dehydration and pain, but he's no quitter." "His instinct to rejoin the herd keeps the young Maiasaura on his feet." "Blaze has moved further and further away from her wounded playmate." "The prey is more dead than alive." "Killing Buck will take just a minimal effort." "The Daspletosaurs have waited it out, and now the time feels right to close in." "A small Quetzalcoatlus reeks from toxic fumes." "It's time to cut to the chase." "15 000 square miles of sky consumed by a monstrous veil of ash." "Created by the release of gas from molten rock, the cloud is alive with pin-sized fragments of volcanic glass." "It's time to close the gap on Buck." "But visibility is falling by the second." "The pack must now rely on their ears." "And so must Buck." "The return calls mean only one thing:" "Buck must reach the herd, or die." "Little Das and his family navigate the fog of volcanic ash in the search for their prey." "Buck must find his herd, or die." "A blanket of ash has begun to lift." "Half-delirious from shock, Buck makes for the herd." "Das and his family, weary from the long trek, suddenly face a major investment of predatory energy." "Rivers of lava, pushed up from the magma chamber, now bleed from the side vents of the mountain." "Explosions rip from the cone, sending a hail of marble-sized debris miles into the sky." "These air-filled volcanic fragments are called cinders." "And the creatures of the highlands are the first to feel their sting." "A new pulse from the cinder cone launches a bombardment of boulder-sized lava fragments, and a barrage of lava bombs." "The hunting prowess of the Troodon is humbled by the all-consuming wrath of an angry earth." "Weakened by the actions of magma and acidic gas, the entire east face of the mountain collapses in the biggest eruption in the western hemisphere." "A great wave of superheated ash, rock and gas roars across the uplands." "A pyroclastic flow, temperatures within its mass exceed 800 degrees Fahrenheit." "Some 50 miles away, the lowland dinosaurs process the oncoming flow as a threat." "Moving at close to the speed of sound, a wall of burning debris is about to erase the line between predator and prey." "The ash plume from the Elkhorn disaster stands 300 miles from Montana to the Inland Sea of North America." "7 MILLONES DE AÑOS DESPUÉS 7 million years later, few signs of the massive eruption remain." "The Maiasaura has evolved into a new species known as Edmontosaurus." "Adults measure 40 feet, double the length of their ancestors." "Evolution has made some alterations, but the restless nature of Buck and Blaze lives on in the herd's juveniles." "Daspletosaurus has evolved into Tyrannosaurus Rex, a killer that can rip away 500 pounds of flesh with a single bite." "Of course, they have to catch something first." "A drama as primal and sharp as the prehistoric sky continues on the lowlands of Montana." "The players are new, and a little wet behind the ears." "And sometimes, they stumble and make some pretty big mistakes." "But I tell you, the plot is fantastic." "In a remote corner of northwestern Montana, scientists unearth a baffling mystery:" "the charred bones of dinosaurs." "Based on the undisturbed state of the bones, it was concluded that the animals died on the spot." "But what killed them?" "The investigation that followed was a classic case of dinosaur detective work." "The bones were found among more than 200 petrified trees, all buried under as much as 6 feet of cinder and ash." "In turn, the trees lay within a field of ash covering 9 600 square miles." "One of the largest fields of volcanic debris in the world." "Sometime in the late Cretaceous, about 75 million years ago, the forest was destroyed by a powerful volcanic eruption." "The trees were leveled by the sheer force of the blast, then buried under the fallout of ash, along with the dinosaurs." "We witnesssed the same kind of devastation in 1980, when Mount St. Helens erupted." "Yet the Elkhorn eruption ranks as one of the most powerful ever recorded." "By comparison," "Mount St. Helens' was a mere firecracker." "A young raptor called Pod fights for his life in a land of giants." "His world is a prehistoric battlefield ruled by size and strength, until a monster from the sea turns this realm upside down." "A lone castaway awakens on a distant island and begins his quest for survival." "But the journey leads instead to a primeval Neverland." "Here, life and death operate on a new and mysterious scale." "Pod is a prehistoric Gulliver stranded in a kingdom of the small." "DINO PLANET" "LAS AVENTURAS DE POD" "EUROPA MERIDIONAL HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÑOS 80 million years ago, most of Europe sleeps beneath the vast and shallow sea." "A matrix of volcanic islands occupies the region known today as southern Europe." "Dry land is hard to find, but there's plenty of beach front to go around." "Here, on the great islands, the residents are key players in the closing act of dinosaur evolution." "A mixed bag of prehistoric vegans and late-Creatceous carnivores roam the fertile lowlands." "Beneath it all, a troubled earth and a growing sense of unease." "Within 24 hours, a single geophysical event will transform their world." "But for now, it's business as usual for two radically opposed species." "On the lowland, a three-pack of agile pint-sized carnivores, barely 8 feet long." "Towering above them, a skyline of Titanosaurs," "Europe's foremost vegetarians." "At 5 tons, adults weigh roughly the same as a jumbo elephant." "Consequent, they chew their green with a certain nonchalance." "But even Titanosaurs put lunch on hold when meat-eaters loiter by the salad bar." "Armed with a killing claw on the second toe and high-torque legs, this is Pyroraptor Olympius, Pod for short." "Pod's deal is not about size, it's about smarts." "His brain to body ratio make him almost gifted by dinosaur standards." "At the low end of the I.Q. scale is the Iguanodon." "But Pod doesn't take them lightly." "These 3-ton grazers carry 30 times his body weight." "Iguanodons can change their default setting from lawnmower to tree trimmer, using their large, spiky thumbclaws to harvest leaves." "The dinosaurs can't identify the source of the low-frequency rumble, but they feel it 100%." "Instinctively, Pod's pack heads for high ground." "The tremors end as mysteriously as they began." "But noone's wired to stay afraid for too long, including Pod." "He's turned his attention to a new incoming sensation." "Something positive, for a change." "Pod follows his nose upwind to a dry riverbed about 60 yards from the rise." "While his position here is totally exposed to competitors, the risk is outweighed by the prize..." "What's left of a small Iguanodon, covered by a cloud of flies." "The carcass reeks, but it's all his." "As the dominant leader of his pack," "Pod will eat his fill before calling in his sisters." "Tarascosaurs are southern Europe's dominant predators." "Pod calls for backup." "Engaging the enemy is futile, but raising the possibility might scare them off." "The Tarascosaurs aren't buying it." "Pod gets a wake-up call." "The Raptors have won a reprieve." "The crippled Tarascosaurus is no longer an asset to his mate." "Given the chance, she might even eat him for lunch." "When Pod and his sisters turn the tables, the standing Tarascosaurus retreats." "The pack consider their endgame, but only one move presents itself run for their lives!" "The thunder of the stampede and the rumbling quakes of the earth seem to come from everywhere." "Pod stops to see if his pack is safe from the Iguanodons." "The stampede is far from over, so Pod urges his sisters to go with the flow." "Volcanic tremors escalate the level of distress." "The animals can't make the connection." "The strand of beach provides room to maneuver." "Another plus is the slowing effect of soft sand on giant dumbbells." "Pod and his sisters have come to this beach many times to scavenge for dead fish, but tonight is so different." "A distant and fiery ghost haunts the beach, a threat that now claims the sea itself." "Far beneath the surface, two opposing crusts of the earth have reached a breaking point." "The waters of the bay recede from the beach as one great sheet." "The sea now bilges like a dorsal back of a sea monster." "As a single towering beast, the water returns to the land." "A prehistoric tsunami breaks from the shores of southern Europe," "its arrival marked by a final cry of defiance." "A great wave locks the animals in a slow-motion vortex of water and debris." "Only a few will escape the sleeve that now swirls their lives." "One small predator evades death." "Pod awakens to an empty, confusing world." "He clings to life on a drifting tree trunk." "But he's not alone." "One of Pod's sisters has survived." "Joined by one of his kind, Pod is reassured that part of his pack still exists." "At 50 feet long, the Plesiosaur flies through the water like a great bird of prey." "Clenched in its jaws is all that remains of Pod's clan." "The only link to the past broken forever." "Once a deadly predator," "Pod's become a creature of chance, an accidental tourist in search of a map." "His second day adrift ends in total exhaustion and a sleep as dark and deep as the sea." "As dawn breaks, Pod's lifeboat is carried north by a light prevailing wind." "But driven by the rising sun, the salt air and heat preys on Pod's last reserves of strength until light falls again." "The only thing keeping Pod alive is the attention he's getting from scavengers who just assume find him dead." "The Ichthyornis is a major pain, but its presence here is also a positive sign." "Birds like these cannot survive entirely on the sea." "On day three, the morning breeze carries a familiar scent, an aroma deeply imprinted in Pod's memory bank:" "the sweet smell of dry land." "But Pod is too weak to swim to shore." "ISLA HATEG, RUMANÍA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÑOS" "The next morning, on the island in question, sea birds are at it again." "Something new on the beach." "For a second, Pod wonders why the sea is so calm." "What's with those trees?" "Then, it's lights out." "While he has no memory of what happened," "Pod has washed ashore on the back of his log, and 24 hous later, he's still out cold." "Curiosity once again overcomes the sea birds, and they're not the only ones." "Drawn to the scene by all the racket, is a very small version of Pod." "The birds are put on notice that this corpse is taken." "The claim is backed up by two more associates." "And stay away!" "Birds are pushovers." "Terrestrial crocodiles are a whole new ball game." "Allodaposuchus, a long name for predators short on brains, but totally fearless in battle." "The little raptors are about to be outclassed in more ways than one." "Pod is delirious, but he's nobody's carcass." "When Pod takes a stand... the crocs back down." "But not the miniraptors." "Pod's never seen such aggresive behavior from animals this size, and for some unknown reason, they've never seen anything like Pod." "Pod has survived the perils of the sea, but his journey has only just begun." "He's stranded on dangerous new ground." "The good news: it's not shaking." "That's just his legs." "Half-dead but determined, Pod will follow the trail of the local raptors." "If he can keep on his feet, these islanders will lead him to a pack of his own kind, a second chance." "Pod hears a welcome sound." "It comes from a stream on its way to the sea." "The search will have to wait." "Pod hasn't had a drop of fresh water in days." "The calls of animals in the distance tempt him to leave." "But Pod senses he doesn't have the juice." "He must drink now, or die." "Although water is cooler than fresh, the effect on Pod is narcotic." "It's time to find a safe place to crash." "At the base of a 10-story softwood, a hard day ends, on a pillow of soft leaves." "At daybreak, every muscle in Pod's body is stiff and sore." "A thick crust of sea salt on Pod's skin and feathers demands attention." "Pod is caught completely off-guard." "It's one of the raptors from the beach." "How can a creature so small be so aggressive?" "Pod's gut tells him that a pack of hunters is planning the next move." "80 million years ago, southern Europe looked less like a continent and more like a chain of islands." "The islands dotted a body of water called the Tethys Sea." "Yet the dinosaurs still managed to get around." "How?" "Would you believe... bridges and boats?" "During the age of dinosaurs, continental drift was reshaping the face of the planet." "As the continents drifted, the animals went along for the ride." "When one landmass collided with another, a land bridge formed, allowing dinosaurs to colonize new territory." "Likewise, as continents drifted apart, members of the same species went their separate ways." "The evidence?" "Relatives of Tarascosaurus are found on southern continents, but nowhere in the northern hemisphere, except in southern Europe." "How were these and other dinosaurs able to 'island hop'?" "Perhaps on natural rafts." "Some Caribbean islands are populated by iguanas whose ancestors had to cross nearly 200 miles of water." "The only transport, rafts of vegetation." "It seems improbable, but with enough time, say, millions of years, the odds of even the unlikely occurring become almost a certainty." "The miniraptors Pod has been tracking have found him instead." "But there's something about them." "Instead of treating Pod as a kindred species, they panic and retreat, as though he were some kind of giant, alien predator." "But Pod senses the intruders might still lead him to a pack of his own kind and the promise of survival." "So Pod embarks on a prehistoric journey of discovery." "Yet, the more he explores this brave new world, the less he understands it." "At least the water tastes the same." "Now, another riddle." "A herd of tiny Iguanodons hunted down by the same miniraptors." "While Pod's hunger is stupendous, he can't bring himself to join the hunt." "Pod disconnects his instinct." "While the size ratio between predator and prey is the same, the overall scale of this creatures, compared to their surroundings, is too small." "Nothing in Pod's experience provides a clue." "The creatures on this island can't be that different from the ones he grew up with." "No way!" "Just downriver, Pod stumbles straight into a catered lunch." "A group of pint-sized Titanosaurs stand directly upwind." "Called Magyarosaurus, they are 1/4 the size of the giants Pod knew on his old island." "These pocket versions are completely unaware that they've walked directly into Pod's crosshairs." "Luckily for them, Pod's instinct to avoid their kind is too deeply ingrained." "Feeling no comfort factor, he withdraws." "As an added precaution," "Pod puts some daylight between himself and the odd-sized animals." "Just around the corner, his luck takes a 180." "Broadcast down the walls of the river valley are the sounds of boundless opportunity." "Fighting for territorial control, two dwarf Iguanodons duke it out." "And the fight seems to be spinning out of control." "Hard beaks are leverage to deliver punishing body blows." "The invading male takes a serious hit from the sharp thumbspike ." "When the wounded contendor refuses to withdraw, the defending male pours it on." "Pod is not the only predator drawn to the showdown." "A hunting party of land crocodiles have waited this long." "A duel meant solely as a test of strength, now ends in a primeval bloodbath." "For the victorious Iguanodon, triumph is fleeting." "Now, his fallen rival presents Pod with a golden opportunity." "He's wired to deal with crocs." "Confidence very high, thank you." "In his old neighborhood," "Pod's driven these bullies off many a kill." "This crew is no different." "Pod dives into the first carcass he's ever eaten on his own." "The siesta that follows provides the crocs another shot at the leftovers." "But just as they start to dig in, the party is crashed by a pack of Troodons." "Smaller and smarter than Pod, these predators are a handful." "The land crocodiles refuse to share the carcass." "By the time the Troodons return, Pod has eaten his fill." "The fresh meat has returned his strength and he'll need every ounce of it for the new challenges that lie ahead." "Imagine two closely related dinosaur species." "One regular-sized on the mainland, the other, dwarf-sized on a nearby island." "Strange, but true." "Or at least that's what the fossils seem to tell us." "Take this sauropod leg bone." "It's truly impressive in size." "This Magyarosaurus legbone is a miniature version of the same," "Only 1/4th the size, yet both bones are from adult dinosaurs." "This same phenomenon has been repeated many times in the recent past." "On an island near Santa Bárbara, California, paleontologists unearth evidence that a stranded species of mammoth shrank from 6 tons to about 2 tons in less than 5 000 years." "These recent examples show a direct association between body size and living space." "The greater the area, the larger the maximum body size, and vice-versa." "Whether mammals or dinosaurs, large-bodied animals marooned on islands tend to downsize over time." "Why?" "Probably several factors, inlcuding limited food supply." "Whatever the reason, these dwarf species show that big things really can come in small packages." "ISLA HATEG, RUMANÍA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÑOS" "Like a river, evolution takes the path of least resistance as it flows through time and space." "This concept is the key to the mystery that confronts Pod at every bend." "While concepts are beyond Pod's abilities, his primal confusion over the size of the islanders is about to end." "There's something different about this herd." "Pod sees creatures of the same kind together." "Adults and juveniles walking side by side." "They are the same animals as those he grew up with, only small." "Pod's landed in a prehistoric Lilliput." "This island is smaller than the one he came from, and the environment can't support normal-sized animals like Pod." "So, evolution has favored the small over the great." "Life and death struggles go on here, only on a smaller scale." "While Pod can't process the fine points, one thing is sadly clear:" "he's more alone now than he ever was at sea." "Throughout this strange island, animals of every sort remain in constant communication." "But Pod's cries for companionship go unanswered." "His calls fade like the sunset on this strange and lonely land." "The layout of Pod's new land ascends from the sea to a high country alive with hidden cascades and lush valleys." "Hidden here as well may be the company Pod craves." "Distant relatives of his own kind, raptors willing to take a stranger into their group." "Up on this high ridge, the sounds of other animals seem to come from everywhere." "Maybe a good shout from up here will travel well." "Deceived by his own echo," "Pod believes he's made contact with another raptor like him." "Pod's broadcast's not gone unheard." "The question now is whether he's attracted an audience or a dangerous mob." "Pyroraptor is known only from a handful of bones, yet, it is fully reconstructed here, and with many birdlike features." "Is this gross speculation?" "Well, not quite." "We start by looking at specialized features common to two or more kinds of species." "That evidence is then used to generate a branching diagram that gives us a best estimate of evolutionary relationships." "A kind of biological family tree." "The few bones we have of Pyroraptor share several specialized features with other small carnivorous dinosaurs, like Velociraptor." "Since Velociraptor is known from nearly complete skeletons, we can use this information to help reconstruct the missing pieces of Pyroraptor." "Sherlock Holmes might have called it deduction, biologists call it cladistics." "But what about non-bony tissues, like feathers?" "Recent discoveries in China include remarkable fossils of several kinds of meat-eating dinosaurs with distinct feather impressions." "The diversity of this feather evidence now includes several groups of carnivorous dinosaurs, indicating that the common ancestor of these little predators was also feathered." "Since Pyroraptor belongs to one of these groups, it's reasonable to conclude it was feathered too, though we can't be certain." "In my line of detective work, new clues are always turning up and few cases are ever truly closed." "ISLA HATEG, RUMANÍA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÑOS" "Pod's quest to find others of his species has ended in failure." "But a pack of dwarf Troodons has heard him loud and clear." "Pod has reached the crossroads of his journey of discovery." "He can play it safe on the high ground, or climb back down to a world of uncertainty and risk." "There is no doubt: the plaintive calls are meant for him, but they come from a pack of skillful, well-organized predators." "Pod decides to go for broke." "With his killing claw deployed, Pod is ready to confront the pack." "But the return vibe seems submissive." "For the first time on this island, he gets some genuine respect." "All the Troodons want to do is follow in his footsteps." "Literally." "Pod's new pack want this relationship to last." "Like them, he's an intelligent and accomplished killer, only more so..." "like 4 feet more so." "A dinosaur's been taken down by Pod's old nemeses." "Throughout his life, Pod has had to sidestep for Tarascosaurus." "The only thing they had going was their size." "That was then, and this is now." "Pod's killing toes score direct hits." "Pod has laid down the new law:" "from now on, all kills on this island belong to him." "Pod's victory has confirmed the highest expectations of the Troodons." "In return for their acceptance, Pod will share the spoils of his new empire." "Pod is now the apex predator on the island." "The sun has risen only 10 times from the day he washed ashore, and Pod has yet to find the miniraptors that inspired his long trek inland." "His island wanderings have returned him to the spot where his journey began." "The calls of the sea birds turn his attention to a large and familiar object:" "the ark that saved his life." "The log still carries the scent of another life, a world Pod will never see again." "Exiled from a realm of giants," "Pod now rules an island of dwarves." "A desert full of unblinking killers." "Mongolia, 80 million years ago." "When you're not very big, big brains help." "At 100 pounds, White Tip, a Velociraptor, is, pound for pound, one of the most terrifying predators." "In a group, they're awesome, but White Tip is now alone." "Without a pack, White Tip will starve." "Without a mate, she has no future." "Can she make it, using only her wits and cunning?" "Or will she need more brag in a world full of angry predators?" "How will she survive?" "White Tip's journey." "DINO PLANET" "EL VIAJE DE TIP Narrador:" "Christian Slater" "DESIERTO DE GOBI, MONGOLIA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÃ'OS" "The desert of Mongolia is vast and desolate, hot and unforgiving." "Here, even the toughest dinosaurs struggle to eke out a living." "White Tip, a female Velociraptor, is on a desperate journey." "4 days ago, her pack was killed by another pack of Velociraptors." "Now, she's alone." "White Tip is not a solitary hunter, but she needs to eat, soon, or face starvation." "Far from home, she stumbles on an oasis that could save her life." "A Prenocephale." "She's seen them before." "She knows what they taste like." "These youngsters are jousting for fun." "Their 9-inch thick skulls are like battering rams, and their spines are built to withstand the jolt." "It's just play now, but one day, these males will fight for dominance in their herd, if they live long enough." "Predators are never very far away." "White Tip is impatient." "Normally, she'd stalk them until the time was right." "If she wasn't alone, this would be fast food, but her hunger drives her to a dangerous decision." "White Tip's not in top form and, with no pack to back her up, the brunt of those skulls could easily break her back." "Like many plant eaters, Prenocephale often separate while feeding, and that's an opportunity for White Tip." "In a pack, Velociraptors are among the smartest killers on the planet." "But hunting alone takes a lot of luck." "A day later, and still no food." "Now, White Tip will settle for anything she can get." "Driven to desperation, she lowers her sights." "A familiar screech." "It could be a better meal." "Intruding on a flock of Oviraptors is crazy." "They're fierce rivals, twice the size of White Tip." "Instead of teeth, these meat eaters have wicked beaks and equally formidable claws." "The noise that lured White Tip here sounded like a killing." "But there's no food here, just sex." "This older male is doing his best to court a female." "He's got smooth moves and a good line." "But it's not working." "I've got to give him credit for trying." "A younger suitor makes a play." "A sore loser, the young oviraptor takes it out on White Tip." "The Mongolian desert is crawling with predators." "White Tip may be a meat eater, but she still needs to watch her step, or she could end up someone else's dinner." "Another lousy lizard." "Oh, well." "Beggars can't be choosers." "But this lizard's not going to stick around for dinner." "Uh-oh." "Protoceratops." "White Tip's blundered into a nest of trouble." "Protoceratops are usually mild mannered, but not when they're parents, and not when they're mad." "This old male has only one eye, but he's relentless when it comes to protecting his family." "He pursues her well beyond his own territory, and right into another male's domain." "Protoceratops are about the size of sheep, and just as docile." "But the intruder's enraged this herd's leader." "He'll protect his harem with his life." "The old male is a combat veteran." "He'd just as soon be elsewhere." "Dazed and disoriented, the wounded male staggers in the wrong direction from home." "He's exhausted and bleeding, and has no chance to escape." "All White Tip has to do is wait." "White Tip has caught a break." "She's not out of danger." "Without a pack, her days could still be numbered." "In 'Jurassic park', the fleet-footed Velociraptor" "SCOTT SAMPSONarrow\fs20}Museo de Historia Natural de Utah PaleontÃ³logo de Discovery Quest raised out of nowhere to become one of the world's most famous dinosaurs." "However, Velociraptor was actually less than 1/2 my size." "Scientists used to think dinosaurs resembled lizards, but now we see them as more akin to birds." "In 1999, paleontologists digging in China, discovered a new species of dinosaur with a revolutionary feature." "It has a layer of primitive feathers, up to an inch and a half long." "Thriving about 135 million years ago, Sinornithosaurus is one of the earliest known birdlike dinosaurs." "Yet, it couldn't fly." "So, why was it feathered?" "Possibly, to help control body temperature, or perhaps, to attract members of the opposite sex." "55 million years later, along came another flightless carnivore:" "Velociraptor." "Besides feathers, Velociraptor and Sinornithosaurus share more than a hundred specialized features with birds, including the hollow bones that help make birds airborne." "Based on this mountain of evidence, both of these predatory dinosaurs support the idea that birds are the direct descendants of two-legged, meat eating dinosaurs." "We still don't know exactly why feathers evolved, but we do know, if it looks like a bird and acts like a bird, it must be a dinosaur." "DESIERTO DE GOBI, MONGOLIA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÃ'OS" "For most of the creatures in the Gobi desert, just staying alive is a challenge." "The daily routine never varies." "For the lone Velociraptor, White Tip, a change is in the wind." "A pack of Velociraptors is on the hunt." "When they're hungry, they'll attack anything." "Their leader is Broken Hand." "He's strong and aggressive, despite his injured limb." "The noise peaks his interest." "A pair of Oviraptors is gorging themselves on Protoceratops eggs." "This is no time for a showdown." "The trail of blood looks promising." "The blood belongs to White Tip's fresh kill." "She's feasting on the carcass." "Velociraptors like these wiped out her pack." "She has reason to fear them." "White Tip has no choice but to go." "Or... maybe not." "Going at it alone is a drag, and this is a strong pack." "She'll have to play it cool." "Very cool." "White Tip will bide her time until the pack has eaten its fill." "A full stomach should make these Velociraptors less dangerous, but timing is everything." "A mistake could cost White Tip her life." "Blue Brow is interested, but he's not the boss, and he didn't get permission from Broken Hand." "His leadership threatened, Broken Hand unloads." "But it's not White Tip he's mad at, it's Blue Brow." "Blue Brow is down, but he's not out." "Broken Hand's miscalculated." "This kid's tough." "The downfall of Broken Hand is a stunning victory for Blue Brow." "The balance of power in the pack has shifted." "With Broken Hand gone, it's a whole new ballgame, and a new start for White Tip." "White Tip's been accepted." "Secure her place in the pecking order, she still must earn her stripes." "When hunting, a pack of Velociraptors can cover a lot of ground." "These Protoceratops look familiar." "White Tip is back, and this time, she's not alone." "DESIERTO DE GOBI, MONGOLIA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÃ'OS" "For the first time, White Tip is hunting with her new pack." "Velociraptors rarely attack head on, they're experts at deception." "Equipped with relatively large brains, they're among the most cunning and dangerous dinosaurs around." "This pair is deliberately distracting the herd of Protoceratops, while Blue Brow and White Tip circle around." "The rouse works." "The nests are unprotected." "The intruders aren't looking for a kill, just trying to pull off a heist." "Now, to divide the loot." "Blue Brow keeps his," "White Tip is forced to relinquish hers." "She's still at the bottom of the pecking order." "White Tip has played her hand just right." "She's proven her worth and assured her place in the pack." "Three months later, back in shape and confident," "White Tip is about to become a mother." "She's found a nesting site she likes: somebody else's." "Secure enough to assert herself, White Tip no longer feels the urge to be submissive." "The ousted female hopes Blue Brow will intercede, but his position is clear." "On Dinosaur Planet, predator and prey live side by side as intimate enemies." "It's a landscape interrupted only now and then by uproar." "And when stomachs are full again, calm is restored." "White Tip has laid her first clutch of eggs." "It's small, only 5, but it's an investment in the future." "White Tip has no time to go hunting." "Blue Brow is still new at being a leader." "His instincts for hunting have yet to be tested, as the pack is about to discover." "A Shuvuuia is pecking the bark of a dead tree in search of grubs." "Blue Brow makes a tactical error - he hesitates and loses the element of surprise." "Now their only hope is to run in the ground." "An Oviraptor's bone-crunching beak ends Blue Brow's hunt and the pack's chance for a meal." "Humbled, Blue Brow is the first to leave." "Not a good showing." "SCOTT SAMPSONarrow\fs20}Museo de Historia Natural de Utah PaleontÃ³logo de Discovery Quest" "Mongolia, 80 million years ago." "For predators, it was a very good year." "You had Velociraptors, three kinds of Oviraptors, and little Shuvuuia, just to name a few species." "But the numbers just don't add up." "The species of predators outnumbered the species of prey." "In a typical ecosystem, there are more prey than predators." "But in prehistoric Mongolia, the ecosystem was a predator's paradise." "Undoubtedly, the most bizarre were the Oviraptors." "It's hard to tell the front of the skull from the back, especially since they had no teeth." "Instead, there's a strong, birdlike beak." "Yet Oviraptors had the trademark claws of a carnivore." "So, what did they eat?" "When the first Oviraptor was discovered in 1923, it was lying in a clutch of eggs thought to belong to Protoceratops." "Scientists dubbed the new species Oviraptor, or 'egg thief'." "But the eggs recently were found to be Oviraptor eggs." "The alleged thief was actually a nurturing parent." "Perhaps Oviraptor hunted a smorgasborg of small animals." "Or maybe, as its ancestors lost their teeth, it became a switch hitter." "An omnivore, consuming both plants and meat, and perhaps eggs too." "When it comes to dinosaur behavior, we usually have to rely on our best guess, and those ideas will change as we make new discoveries." "DESIERTO DE GOBI, MONGOLIA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÃ'OS" "Deserts are unforgiving." "Life clings to the slimmest of margins." "When it comes to survival, it's catch as catch can." "And anything is fair game." "As dusk settles, White Tip is in her nest, tending her eggs." "She hasn't eaten for days." "A small Deltatheridium gets her attention." "Its movement is irresistible." "It triggers the instinct to hunt, leaving her eggs vulnerable." "Big mistake." "The intruder is Broken Hand, just trying to stay alive." "White Tip's clutch is reduced to 3 eggs." "The loss is a setback, but at least it's not a disaster for the mom-to-be." "Weeks ago, White Tip laid a foundation for the future." "Last night, the eggs hatched." "Now, both she and her infants need to be fed." "Less than a day old, these young Velociraptors are left to fend for themselves." "She must hunt." "Once again, the pack is at full strength, and hungry for big game." "These bones of the old Protoceratops are all that's left of the meal that saved White Tip's life." "But others may not be so lucky." "Desperate with hunger," "Broken Hand has recklessly attacked the herd of Prenocephale." "With no pack to reinforce him, the old soldier is defenseless." "Without a backwards glance, the pack moves off, leaving Broken Hand to his fate." "The Oviraptor nesting ground." "Guarded by just two females." "Now it's turnabout fair play." "The surprise attack leaves a pair of hatchlings on open ground, totally unprotected." "As quickly as the pack appeared, they vanish." "The point is to get a meal, not become one." "The meal White Tip brings home looks just like her offspring." "But here on the Gobi desert, her own hatchlings could just as easily have been the Oviraptors' dinner." "Something's in the wind." "In prehistoric Mongolia, dark clouds are a rare sight, and weather, a phenomenon." "Here it rains only inches a year, just enough to sustain life." "This is no spring shower, it's a gully washer." "White Tip has never seen the likes of this, or the tragedy to follow." "DESIERTO DE GOBI, MONGOLIA HACE 80 MILLONES DE AÃ'OS" "For the first time in a century, the rain is unrelenting." "All the dinosaurs can do is hunker down and wait." "When the storm finally breaks, life goes back to normal." "Only this time, it's a little more urgent." "A little more hungry." "A little more raw." "The pack is ravenous, and dead set on a serious meal." "They're not above scavenging, but the carcass of their old leader," "Broken Hand, is too putrid to eat." "Their best bet is Protoceratops." "The plan is an old one, with a new twist." "The pack splits up, setting the play in motion." "These two females distract the herd, while Blue Brow and White Tip prepare to charge." "Normally, Blue Brow would take the lead." "But White Tip attacks first." "Blue Brow hesitates." "He's faced this bull before." "He finally engages." "White Tip goes down." "Her fall may be a lucky break." "By a freak of nature, the fighting dinosaurs are doomed." "Saturated with water from the strom, the dune begins to slip." "White Tip can't grasp what's happened." "An avalanche of sand has buried her pack alive." "Yet, her instincts tell her to move on." "Once again, White Tip's on her own, but she's not alone." "White Tip's brood is more than a family." "One day soon, these chicks will reach adulthood." "With their mother to guide them, they'll form a new pack, and become some of the most formidable predators ever to roam Dinosaur Planet." "In the history of fossil hunting," "SCOTT SAMPSONarrow\fs20}Museo de Historia Natural de Utah PaleontÃ³logo de Discovery Quest this mortal embrace of a Velociraptor and Protoceratops ranks as one of the greatest discoveries of all time." "Paleontologists have never found anything else like it." "A kind of dinosaur Pompeii, life stopped dead in its tracks." "The Velociraptor thrust its killing claw into the gut of the Protoceratops, while the jaws of the Protoceratops gripped the predator's arm." "Before this landmark find, the evidence that" "Velociraptor hunted Protoceratops was only circumstantial - teethmarks of the carnivore on the bones of its prey." "The Fighting Dinosaurs provide the hard evidence." "Yet, as one mystery is solved, another looms." "What freak of nature preserved this fossil snapshot?" "Before they become fossils, most bones are exposed to erosion by wind and water." "Perhaps gnawing by scavengers." "The Fighting Dinosaurs show no such wear, suggesting they were suddenly entombed, but how?" "The fossil record suggests the Cretaceous dunes of the Gobi desert were stabilized by plants, which grew above a layer of calcium." "But nothing built on sand lasts forever." "Every few centuries, torrential storms may have struck the Gobi." "Rain percolated through the sand until trapped at the calcium layer." "Then, like a California mudslide, the entire top layer gave way." "In an instant, predator and prey were buried beneath tons of sand." "A fossil freeze-frame captured in time."