Dinosaur Herds
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For
plant eating dinosaurs living in herds was a vital survival technique
in a world full of dangerous predators. Nowadays we find evidence showing
that some of these dinosaurs living herds. Some of this evidence is revealed
to us by fossilized mass graves, were entire herds were overtaken by disasters
such as sandstorms, and sets of tracks left by herds on the move.
How large were dinosaur herds?
the best clues are provided by fossilized bones and tracks, but one has
to be careful when interpreting.
Animals can be in the same place at the same time without forming a herd. This often happens at watering holes, where animals gather to drink. The collection of bombs can also be misleading, because these loans may be long till dinosaurs that lived many years ago and for coincidence died in the same location.
This can also happen to victims on the same hazard, such as a slippery slope or other natural hazard spots. A perfect example of this would be the Brea Tar Pits.
Paleontologists
have examined many sets of fossils and have come up with a variety for
a different species. Some of these findings include Iguanodonts traveling
in groups; and the famous Maiasaura which is believed to have travel in
herds of hundreds spread out over a wide area.
Dinosaurs living in herds most certainly had complex forms of behavior. When we look at modern mammals, we see animals of different ages and sexes and we can distinguish different statuses, and often a different ranking in the herd.
Some of these fossilized remains by This idea, because smaller animals are found towards the center, while fossilized remains of the larger animals are found at the front and around the sides. This would have protected the young and allow the adults to form a barrier against predators trying to attack.
The herd is always changing, males leave the herd was second look after themselves and live in bachelor herds for several years. The strongest males will then create herds of their own, which will include several females and young.
During their time in bachelor herds, males will have engaged in mock fights with the rivals. This type of fighting would unlikely have caused any permanent injuries, but he would have separated out the strongest and the fittest males, allowing them to farther the most young.
Dinosaur fossils often show variations between members of the same species. The most obvious of these differences are between males and females, but there are also differences between one member to another member. These appreciations may have helped herd members to identify each other.