Did Any Dinosaurs Get Along With Raptors?
Many pop culture movies and shows portray dinosaur species as either getting along or being sworn enemies. While this has some merit, animals do not “get along” in the same ways that people do. Species like raptors wouldn’t encounter one another and question whether they want to live or work together based on shared interests. Instead, dinosaurs would coexist based on their biological needs, ecological niches, and survival requirements. Let’s get into which dinosaurs likely got along with raptors.
Protoceratops
The Protoceratops was a small, herbivorous dinosaur that lived in what is now Mongolia with the Velociraptor. Although these dinosaurs didn’t “get along” in the traditional sense, they did share the territory. Some fossil evidence indicates that the two were not always friendly, as the fierce Velociraptor likely saw this beast as a tasty meal. However, the Protoceratops likely defended itself with its beak-shaped mouth.
There’s a famous fossil known as the “Fighting Dinosaurs,” found in 1971, that proves at least some Velociraptor specimens fought against Protoceratops. In this fossil, the Velociraptor’s claw is embedded in the Protoceratops, while the Velociraptor’s arm shows a bite mark, possibly from the Protoceratops.
Alamosaurus
Some of the largest herbivores also had to share their home with various raptor species. For instance, the Alamosaurus shared its territory with small raptor species, including the Dromaeosaurus.
It’s doubtful that the Dromaeosaurus would’ve bothered an adult Alamosaurus due to the significant differences in size; by adulthood, most Alamosaurus were 70–100 feet long, while the Dromaeosaurus was only 6.5 feet tall. These species likely shared their habitat in what is now North America, and most paleontologists suspect that they posed little threat to one another.
Ankylosaurus
The Ankylosaurus is herbivorous, another dinosaur that shared its homeland with the Dromaeosaurus. What makes this beast stand out is its club-like tail, which it could swing at predators to defend itself. Due to this and the difference in size (Ankylosaurus was around 8 tons while Dromaeosaurus only weighed 30–40lbs), it’s unlikely that the raptor hunted this herbivore.
Barsboldia
Another dinosaur that likely got along with raptors is the Barsboldia. This duck-billed dinosaur lived with the Velociraptor in what is now Mongolia during the Late Cretaceous period. Although these animals shared an environment, it’s highly unlikely they interacted much, as the Barsboldia was too large for a Velociraptor to hunt. Not to mention, Barsboldia lived in herds, so hunting them would be even more dangerous for Velociraptors since the group could fight back.
Add to Your Dinosaur Collection
Knowing which dinosaurs lived with raptors allows you to add some realism to your collection. Creative Beast Studio offers Velociraptor figures, as well as other beloved raptor species, designed to resemble the real beasts. Shop for your favorite action figures, and set them up to look just like the beasts would in the wild!
