#spinosaurus sunday

[thetabbybadger]

by the way….

HAPPY

SPINOSAURUS

SUNDAY!!!!!!

[mineralsrocksandfossiltalks]

Sunday Scribbles

I am in the early-middle stages of creating a dinosaur alphabet book! I wanted to make something fun and educational for kids and adults alike so I decided why not an alphabet book? I have put in recently discovered or simply underappreciated dinosaurs for each letter. (That means no Tyrannosaurus, Spinosaurus, or Velociraptor.) Here’s a look at the title page I'm working on:

If you are interested in preordering one, let me know and I will put you on the list!

[freeing-the-man]

Here’s what we finished on stream!

A new border! All north American fauna/flora/fungi Stream was fun, and it was nice directly talking to folk! This border will be in use once I switch us to OBS, however there’s a couple more planned before then. I plan to stream on sundays around 3-6PM PST but that may change! namely gaming and art

fly agaric Amanita muscaria Laysan albatross Phoebastria immutabilis lilac fibrecap Inocybe geophylla Canariomys bravoi  Tenerife giant rat clustered bonnet Frost's amanita Chicken of the woods Pleurotus ostreatus Oyster Mushroom Fomitopsis mounceae Puffball Spinosaurus aegyptiacus Common raven corvus corax Dimetrodon grandis Cantharellus cascadensis Pyropyxis rubra Cortinarius subfoetidus jelly toothed fungus  Pseudohydnum gelatinosum

[noblecrumpet-dorkvision]

Overland Travel as a Dungeon

With D&D being canceled last night due to Roll20 issues, I’ve had time to do extra prepwork! I’m trying something new to take the tedium out of overland travel by making it more like a dungeon with “rooms” depending on the choices the players make (the labels are GM-only for my own reference)

I’m also making Long Rests during travel more difficult (so I don’t have to challenge them with deadly encounters at every step): Each long rest, players will need to choose between regaining their hit points, regaining half their max hit dice, or regaining their spell slots/long-rest-recharging features. In other words, three long rests will end up equaling 1 true long rest. They can choose the same thing multiple times in a row.

All encounters are established ahead of time, but which ones they encounter are based on their decisions. My rules for designing the encounters:

75% of encounters must progress the story (7/9 advance the plot here)

Each must be foreshadowed in the players’ options. They should know the extent of dangers of their choices.

50% should be non-combat (traps, RP, skill challenge, etc)

Here are the encounters the players face while in the swamp:

Inclement Weather

A torrential rainstorm begins to rage. (these ones are non-plot encounters)

Seek cover and wait it out: The tree the players rest beneath loosens from a rush of water and falls over, burying and suffocating those that fail the save. Three successful Athletics checks frees them.

Keep moving carefully: A spinosaurus hunts the players using the rain to cover its approach.

Night Terrors

There are no encounters during the day but the players will need to make survival checks to stay on the newly-flooded path. At night, our warlock-turned-wizard has dreams relating to their shadowy ex-patron, who desperately wants control of her back but an amulet is keeping the patron at bay. When she awakens, one of her allies was mind-controlled into stealing the amulet and throwing it into the muck. After the charm fades, shadow stags attack once the warlock is vulnerable (I took large Giant Elks and combined them with undead Shadows, and had their dash create a trail of magic darkness).

Flooded Path

The road passes through a valley that got flooded by the rain.

Cross the Water: The players spot a crocodile in the water. It ignores them for now but it seems the water might be dangerous. They will also need to figure out how they are doing it (boat, swimming?) and make checks. Lizardfolk and a giant crocodile relating to the players’ past can be encountered here. They are hunting and will attack initially, but the players might be able to end combat early if they persuade them.

Find a Way Around: There is a forest filled with strange green mist, similar to a corrupted plant-hydra they saw earlier. They will need to make survival checks and regret not letting the ranger from last session help them. A hag has been corrupting the land near here, and they will get attacked by 3x owlbears with a 5′ poison aura and corrosive claws.

Old Themryl

Depending on which ways the players went, they can access different parts of an old kingdom or try to find the main road again (but, nearing the exit of the swamps, the players might want to lay low for story reasons). The other story stuff in this fork is hard to explain lacking context so I will just explain the encounters.

Investigate skulls on pikes: The players can find Themryl Gardens, a cemetery desecrated by skulls on pikes with glowing eyes. It is currently being raided by a blackguard with 3 skeleton servants. He is trying to break into a mausoleum but his skeletons are too weak. If disturbed, he summons two Flameskulls from the pikes nearby to attack.

Inside the mausoleum is a Spectator guardian. A glyph of warding trap is on a sarcophagus, which also has a secret compartment with story stuff and treasure. the corpse within is also story-related and leads to Old Themryl Keep for the other half of the info.

Find the Road: The players meet a bard belonging to their destination’s innkeepers’ guild. He seeks Old Themryl and will pay handsomely to be led there to gain inspiration for his songs. Players can ignore him if they choose, but at least they will learn about the plot dungeons if they wish to return.

Investigate the bodies: Players find bodies riddled with arrow wounds (but no arrows), crawling away from a thicket before they died. In the thicket is the half-sunken ruins of Old Themryl Keep. It is protected by Sword Wraiths (but with stats for longbows) on the battlements.

Inside, there is a simple statue puzzle and mysterious ghostly antics. The puzzle opens the next chamber.

Next room is a hallway with two normal sword wraiths. One door in the hall is caved in. Another door will open but buries the door opener in muck (trap). Last door leads to a grand hall.

Grand hall is knee-deep in water with rubble islands and a throne peeking above surface. Sword Wraith Commander is here, and summon other sword wraiths. The commander deals bonus lightning instead of necrotic and has a lair action on round 20 where he electrifies the water for a high amount of damage. Players can avoid by the islands or throne, but the minions may push them in. If put to rest, story stuff happens.

Last room has a noble’s treasure and a handmaid’s journal that dispenses plot, and leads to the cemetery for the other half of the info.

Downed Caravan

The players come by a caravan trying to fix their wheels/axle and trying to treat wounded members. One would think they were attacked by bandits, but in reality it was a patrol of corrupt soldiers demanding tax from these merchants from an enemy kingdom from New Themryl (the PCs destination). If the players help the group, they are offered a way into an enemy kingdom with shelter, and rewarded with some of their goods. If not, well... the PCs don’t gain anything. They’re just assholes.

---

And then the players arrive at their destination!

There were multiple paths, options to backtrack and explore, RP elements, mini-dungeons, skill checks, puzzles, traps, and big monsters... just like any dungeon! Feel free to steal any of this and especially the concept of “travel as dungeon” because I think it’s going to be more fun. But we will find out on our next session of the Dorkvision stream! (Sundays 9PM-12 eastern and wednesdays 7-10PM -  https://www.twitch.tv/noblecrumpet)

[joshgnfr]

Sweet dreams, little lizard #JurassicWorldFallenKingdom #JurassicWorld #JurassicPark #JurassicWorldEvolution #XboxOne #XboxOneS #Xbox #Microsoft #Spinosaurus #Jungle #Dino #Dinosaur #PicOfTheDay #Instagram #Sunday #SundayMood #Black #Night https://www.instagram.com/p/BtKfWF-hYxO/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=nu3vtx6xbt3m

[encyclopika]

Voting for next AC Fish Explained

This was fun, wasn’t it? Heh...I’m having a hard time deciding on the next Fish Explained...of course, we will eventually cover everything aquatic in ACNH and September is coming with some very exciting things! 

[Obligatory link to the AC Fish Explained masterpost - we’re steadily coming up to 100!!!]

The trouble is that I think we’ve covered everything exciting (you guys didn’t seem very excited about algae...damn, idk how my professor did it...he made algae so fun...)

Anyway, here are our choices for Sunday, so this will be a really quick vote:

-Spinosaurus (Fossil) + Fishing Dinos

-Sea Slug (Diving) + Nudibranch Biology

-Whelk (Diving) + Predatory Snails

-Diving Beetle (Bug) + How Insects Breathe

-Olive Flounder (Fishing) + Migration of Flatfish Eyeballs (it’s a working title)

Again, all of these will be covered eventually. Yeah, so, uh, get to it. Voting ends Saturday night.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #293

“your head upon a stick would look really sick, but they would call me crazy for the way i spoke to it”

Hey bitch, what's your fucking name? What a start, jc lmao. Brittany. What color are your nails? They're not painted. Last time you got some ass? Well this survey's gonna be a journey. Many years ago. Do your parents like your style/music choices? Yeah, at least most of it. Some music my mom really doesn't like or just hates, while I can't even imagine Dad's reaction to some bands I enjoy. Ever seen your parents make out? tbh would rather slam my ankle on a Razor scooter. What's your dream height and weight? Forget about my height, if I could just be at least 120 again... Do you put your hair up a lot or down? It's too short to put up. Most of the time do you straighten or curl your hair? Neither. What do you do when your house loses power? Light a bunch of candles and carry flashlights. What piercing do you hate? I'm not a fan of cheek piercings. Were you raised in a religious house? Yes. I grew up going to Sunday school and church, even though I hated both. Do your parents get mad when you're on the computer for hours? Gah... it was a very, very big source of argumentative fuel between Mom and me all the way up to my late teenage years when she just gave up; now, it's to be expected and is completely "normal." I always wanted to be on the computer once I was introduced to it; she tried to limit my time on it, and it was without fail what she would take away whenever I was grounded. I'd even sneak onto it when I wasn't allowed to if she wasn't home and Dad was in their room. My mom really did try to keep me from being hooked on technology, she really did, it just didn't work, but dear god I wish it did. I just about turn into a caveman without some form of it, and it's pretty pathetic. Dad meanwhile has never really cared much, but he'd make a comment here and there that would make me self-conscious about it. Have you ever been asked for a nude picture? No, and guess who would be ignored for the rest of their lives if they did. It's so fucking disrespectful and objectifying to me. If someone wants to send a partner something like that by their own volition, that's cool, but asking, that just seems incredibly rude to me and turns the person into an object of lust. Ever been so scared you pissed? Caaan't say I have. Can you watch scary movies at night and not be scared? Yeah, they've never really fazed me. Last reason you got your cell taken away? I actually don't know if that's ever happened, given the aforementioned computer thing. I was never hooked on my phone. Could you handle working on a farm? Nooooo, that is way too much physical exertion. Have you ever been attacked by an animal? No. Have you ever had to put an animal to sleep? ugh Do you have a favorite type of firework? Well, visually I really just like the big colorful ones, but I don't endorse the use of fireworks anymore. Some animals literally die from fear, they can be seriously upsetting to veterans with PTSD (you could have one in your neighborhood and never know you indirectly gave them a panic attack), and they're a large source of litter. Where would/did you get your first tattoo? My right wrist. What's your favorite kind of pet? Snakes. Favorite dinosaur? Spinosaurus is obviously the coolest. It's always been my fave. How many pets do you have? Sigh, just two. Our landlord doesn't want us to get anymore pets than what we came in with. What were two of your favorite Disney movies as child? The Lion King and Finding Nemo. They're still my favorite Disney movies. When carving pumpkins, how do you decide what you're going to do? I haven't carved a pumpkin in years... so idk. Do you own any art supplies? Some, yeah. Do you believe you have a higher IQ than most? Definitely not. What is the name of the doctor that delivered you? I have no clue. Mom knows him for sure because she's mentioned him from my childhood, but I don't. Have you ever seen a Lamborghini in person? Hunny, I live in rural North Carolina. You don't see that level of bougie here lmao. Shane Dawson: funny or annoying? I honestly think he's fucking hilarious. I just have such conflicting feelings about him after "the drama," hearing so many people's opinions (particularly from those who know him so well, like his fiance and Ryland's sister), fact checking, audio cutting and mixing, the whole "people change" philosophy... I don't know. When you have a container of Neapolitan ice cream, what flavor do you leave for last? I ain't touchin' strawberry. Gross. If you could choose to have any superpower ever, what would you pick? I'd wanna be a shapeshifter/druid. What would you be more embarrassed to buy: sex toys or adult diapers? Yikes, sex toys. Given my age, I'd say if I bought adult diapers, people would assume they weren't for me. I'm awkward enough with all things relating to sex to begin with, so. What’s the biggest animal you’ve ever killed? Yo wtf I never have and never will (intentionally) kill an animal. Well, correction: I've killed bugs before, the biggest probably being some spider or something, but I really try to avoid this now. Could you win the Hunger Games? lol hell to the fuck no, have you seen me??? For you, would getting amnesia be a good thing? ... Maybe? Not saying I wanna find out, though. Have you ever been punched in the face? No, plan on keeping it that way. Is morality universal or relative? I question this myself. Who is your favorite late night talk show host? I don't have one. Where do you put your keys when you get home? They stay in my purse. Do you prefer hot coffee or iced coffee? Neither. The sheer variety of questions relating to coffee and tea in surveys boggles my mind, always feel left out that I can't answer 'em lmao. What’s your phone background picture? My lock screen is this pretty, soft aesthetic screen that has "i am strong, i am loved, i am enough" written in the center. I've really needed it for my mental health lately. My home screen is some meerkats. I know, can you believe neither are currently Mark? Have you ever seen a snake in the wild? Plenty. How do you cope with anxiety? Deep breathing, mindfulness and grounding exercises, confiding in my mom, listening to music (usually my favorite calm, instrumental soundtracks, like from the Silent Hill franchise - particularly the second game! - or Shadow of the Colossus), try to nap, play a game as a distraction, watch my favorite YouTubers (typically something funny)... I'm lucky to have learned a lot. Now, if only I could cope with social anxiety... What was the last takeout food you ate? Oh Jesus, how embarrassing is this timing, seeing as it was one of my unhealthiest fast food orders: Son of the Baconator and Baconator fries from Wendy's. It was so fuckin good tho. Who makes you laugh the most? My friend Girt. What does a successful relationship look like to you? One with great communication and total honesty, and when you are able to build each other up and bring out the best in your partner. It's also imperative for you to feel safe being your authetic safe for me to consider it "successful." What do you like to put on your baked potato? "Salt, pepper, butter, cheese, bacon bits." <<<< That's how we do it, lads. What was the most memorable birthday you’ve had? My 16th, but not for good reasons. Would you rather go to the beach or the mountains? That's easy as hell, mountains. I don't like the beach. Do you look in the mirror before you leave the house? Yeah. Not gonna like what I see no matter what, but I'd like to make sure I don't look worse whan what's normal. Have you ever seen someone quit their job in a dramatic way? No. What do you like to dip your fries in? It varies between ketchup and honey mustard. What’s your favorite kind of museum? Science. Do you believe in alternate universes? Nah, I don't think so. Whose house did you last visit? My older sister's. What games do you play on your smart phone? Mostly just Pokemon GO nowadays. I haven't touched Dragons of Atlantis in a long time... Do you know anyone who is colorblind? Jason's older brother is red/green colorblind, I think? Are you the youngest, middle or eldest child in your family? Middle. What’s something you’ve been meaning to do but keep putting off? Ugh, I need to finish decorating my damn room... Got most of the stuff on the walls now, but it's still pretty skeletal in self expression. My motivation is abysmal. Have you ever flown a kite? Oh yeah, I loved to fly a kite with Dad as a little kid when the tobacco field just across the road was barren. Who was the last person you talked about sex/relationships with? My doctor. How many brothers does your father have? I'm almost certain he doesn't have one, just one sister. Do you think you act older or younger than your actual age? It depends on the situation. When it comes to "adulting," I don't have a fuckin clue what I'm doing. I doubt anyone would believe I'm a month shy of 25. In terms of general maturity, I think I act my age, if not older. When was the last time you swam in a pool? It's been years. What are your parents' views on your relationships? Mom is always very supportive so long as they treat me right; she's taken to all my previous partners very well and treated them like family, too. My dad is also supportive as long as I'm treated properly and happy. Is your best friend dating anyone? No. Have you ever babysat before? Twice, but not really willingly. Way too stressful. Do you delete pictures of you and your exes off of Facebook? It took a very, very long time, but all pictures with Jason are forever deleted. Ever had a huge crush on someone who still doesn’t know? Not a huge crush, no. Ever watched porn? No. You do you, but I don't see the appeal of watching some random people fuck. Ever performed in a talent show? No. Would you audition for a reality talent competition? Nope. How many celebrity crushes have you had? I'd say Jesse McCartney, Link Neal, and Mark Fischbach are my only BIG celeb crushes I've had. How many non-celebrity crushes have you had? I dunno, don't feel like reaching back and counting. Ever been compared to a celebrity? Not visually, but with my adoration of animals. Have any embarrassing pictures on Facebook? Oh, I'm sure. None that are horribly embarrassing though, or else I would have deleted them. Ever seen a therapist? I've regularly seen a therapist since the 6th grade. Ever purposely ignored a text? Yep. A Facebook message? Sure have, when I was beyond done arguing with a former friend. A friend request? No, I just decline or accept it. My page is private, so you can't see my activity, and it's not like they get notified if it's declined, Would you say you read into things too much? I am the fucking sovereign of this. If you turned out exactly like your mom would you be pleased? I love my mom to death, but no. I'd be disappointed. Ever had a credit card denied? I've never had one in the first place. Ever had the lead in a play? No. I do remember though in elementary school, I was real bummed that I wasn't Snow White for one we did for Music class. What about a solo in a concert? Never been in a concert. Would it bother you if you found out that your mother was pregnant? Well. One, she's long past menopause. Two, because of ovarian cancer, she had all those organs removed. So, that would be impossible. Have you ever had a threesome? No; I'm personally strictly monogamous and would feel it to be disloyal, even if my parnter was okay with it. What's the last game you used dice for? Not a clue. Are you interested in surfing at all? Have you ever been? No. What brand of bottled water do you prefer? Essentia. What is your favorite type of bird? Barn owls. What is your favorite chocolate candy? motherfuckin REESE'S Have you ever been called a racial slur? No, considering I'm Caucasian. Why did you last stand in line? I was at the doctor's office, I think? What is your favorite pirate movie? /shrug What is your favorite character from Orange Is the New Black? I've never watched it. What was the most unsettling film you’ve seen? Watching the ending to Paranormal Entity was VERY uncomfortable. It was a decently scary movie, but the ending was seriously intense. When was the last time you were snooping, and found something you wish you hadn’t? I don't recall. Which celebrity or band has the worst fan base? I don't know. What are you interested in that most people aren’t? The sheer degree of my love for meerkats would definitely be missed by probably most people. What smartphone feature would you actually be excited for a company to implement? I dunno. Anything I could think of, the most current products probably already have and I'm just uninformed of them. Like, I use a Tracfone lmao. What’s something people don’t worry about but really should? Their plastic usage and disposal. I'm certainly no saint when it comes to plastic either, but I try to do all I can. What movie quotes do you use on a regular basis? Hm, ARE there any? Do you think that children born today will have better or worse lives than their parents? This depends on what you consider "better" and "worse." Environmentally, I honestly don't think mankind can maintain itself for that many more generations at the rate we're currently at, so that's probably just gonna keep getting worse. On the other hand, advances in medicine and things like that will certainly continue to improve quality of life in that sense. Human rights are getting better and better. I do fear that we're becoming too comfortable with laziness and convenience, but I hope that's a decline we don't continue to venture down. What’s the funniest actual name you’ve heard of someone having? I had a college classmate named Apple. Which charity or charitable cause is most deserving of money? Oh, come on now. It's not a competition. What game have you spent the most hours playing? So. When you type /played in World of Warcraft, it will show you your total playtime, and mine is YIKES. Like, around a year's worth of time of pure playing since 2014, I think. What’s the most comfortable bed or chair you’ve ever been in? I don't recall. What’s the hardest you’ve ever worked? When I did WiiFit religiously and lost around 40 pounds in HS. I was in the best shape of my life. What movie, picture, or video always makes you laugh no matter how often you watch it? Oh, there's certainly something. Probably some Unus Annus clip. That channel was a fucking blessing and a curse all the same. If you could have an all-expenses paid trip to see any famous world monument, which monument would you choose? Oh boy, I'd have to think, but probably somewhere in Rome or Greece. What’s the coldest you’ve ever been? I'm unsure. Probably jumping in the pool as a kid. My sisters and I would nag Dad to put the pool up on like the very first day of spring, so of course it was cold, but as a kid, I didn't mind that. What’s the most ridiculous thing you have bought? Hm. What’s the most depressing meal you’ve eaten? Ha ha yiiiikes, struggle foods... I don't know, but I've had some. What outdoor activity haven’t you tried, but would like to? Herping, though I change my mind on-and-off about it. I'm not very into the idea of disturbing wildlife just because they're cool and you wanna check them out. I'd totally go exploring with a camera, though, and not actually pick anything up. If you were given five million dollars to open a small museum, what kind of museum would you create? Hm... I actually think something like an art museum for the mentally ill would be pretty interesting and educational? Even something that could build empathy. Maybe mix some psychology in there to understand conditions.

[good-guys-scrap-heap]

SHARK WEEK FACTS- Sunday

Onchopristis numidus

-Lorge sawfish

-Lived from the lower Cretaceous to the upper Cretaceous

-Bad for sawing wood, great for raking food on the river floor

-Spinosaurus snacc

[joeletz]

Never in my life did I expect I would own a real life dinosaur tooth. But here I am. 39 years old and with one spinosaurus theropod tooth from the early-late Cretaceous period. Making this tooth 112-97 million years old! HOLY GUACAMOLE! It is noted that this tooth originated from the mouth of a dinosaur named Bill who’s friends liked to call “slick willy” because he slipped on some pickle juice from a broken jar of pickles in the grocery store one day. He was a server at a popular dino-raunt called “McDinolds” but sadly met an early demise when an asteroid hit one dark and grey Sunday afternoon. THANKS SO MUCH @natural_selections!! 🤗 https://www.instagram.com/p/B4yDgwZBsxs/?igshid=1mpbzfoyvjrnr

[natural-selections]

**RESTOCK!!*** These are real Spinosaurus dinosaur teeth! They measure ~3-3.5" long and can be shipped worldwide! Each one is unique but this photo is representative of the tooth you will receive. We have them starting as low as $60CAD (~45USD) and XL teeth at $125CAD (~95USD), buy them now on www.SkullStore.ca or in-store Thursday-Sunday (12-6pm) at 1193 Weston Rd, Toronto.  These dinosaurs lived in what is now North Africa about 112-97 million years ago.  Spinosaurus could be the largest of all carnivorous dinosaurs, even bigger than Tyrannosaurus! Their diet included fish, and it is believed that they were semi-aquatic like a modern crocodilian! Spinosaurus had a large fin down its back, which is how it earned the name. https://www.instagram.com/p/Btgiec4gQjS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1e0y12wlqxlf3

[thetabbybadger]

SPINOSAURUS SUNDAY 🥳

Spinosaurus Sunday!

[swan2swan]

Hey, so, remember when I said I was quitting the park and giving up? Yeah, well, that was just whiny tired me--I kept going, and I think I can actually do this because I’m in the final stretch. Yeah, I’m at Double Par right now (24+ hours!), but I’ve been having immense fun and frustration.

I put a Pachycephalosaurus arena up in the north by the T. Rex paddock, and there’s a herd of Maiasaurs and Torosaurs hanging out by the park entrance. 

The original Tyrannosaurus grew old so I unleashed a younger, stronger one to kill her and take her power (GAMING THE SYSTEM FTW). Of course, now she’s getting old, so I’m saving money for the final Rex.

Finally, I BUILT THE AFRICA EXHIBIT. It’s crude, but it works--Sahara the Spinosaurus in the north, Toto 2 the Suchomimus in the middle (Toto got frisky with a Kentrosaurus, and the other dinosaur didn’t like that at all), and three Kentrosaurs in the south. Then I have Majungasaurus off in the Madagascar section. 

I’ll get some aerial pictures of the exhibits tomorrow. Hopefully. Maybe. 

There’s a raptor pit in the south of the island that’s given me plenty of trouble, and not pictured is a fresh pen of Muttaburrasauruses--dinosaurs who are low-maintenance as long as there are six of them, but they look beautiful and I love them. 

Hopefully I can win this thing when I finish the new T. Rex and construct my Jurassic exhibits in the last patches of land I have left (Allosaurus in one pen, Stegosaurs in another, and Apatosaurs roaming in one or the other). 

Should wrap it up by Sunday! Or I will go down in defeat...who knows?

[asleepymonster]

Hiya was just wondering if I could have the spinosaurus pattern please my sis loves it and would live to make her it for her 30th this Sunday thanks nikki . PS bloody good work x

I'm still working on the updated pattern. I've been very sick with some kind of neurological thing the doctors are still trying to figure out so it's been hard for me to work on anything. It sucks because I have the whole pattern ready, I just have to put it all together in a PDF. I'm sorry to everyone for the delay.

[kristipetersenschoonover]

I think this is hilarious. We’re being chased by a Tyrannosaurus and we look like we’re on a cruise.

I’m going to keep this as spoiler-free as possible, because nothing ruins an adventure like knowing every damn little thing about it beforehand (it’s really not an adventure if that’s the case). However, I’m going to include a couple of my favorite photos and share some details, so if you’re planning on visiting the Bronx Zoo’s Dinosaur Safari this summer and want to stay completely in the dark, I’d advise skipping the rest of this post (except scroll down to “A word on buying tickets.” That stuff you’ll want to know).

Hold my beer! I got this. Nathan and I were very excited to attend the Bronx Zoo’s Dinosaur Safari on the premiere weekend (Easter Sunday), despite the giant lines.

The Safari entrance is located at Fountain Circle, which is at the end of Astor Court (and I think was the zoo’s original entrance way back when it first opened). If you’re on the other side of the park—say down by Asia—the best way to go is hop on the zoo shuttle and get off at the stop near World of Birds and Tiger Mountain. It’s not far to walk from there.

If you’re wondering where this ride actually takes you and you’re a BZ geek like me, it goes back behind the Birds of Prey exhibit over service roads that aren’t open to the public.

This azhdarchid pterosaur greets visitors above the ride’s queue.

  Be aware that this is a popular attraction, and the lines may be very long. The nearest bathroom to the line is up at Madagascar off Astor Court. It might be worth visiting the restroom beforehand.

We joked about the hour and 45-minute wait being just like the lines at Walt Disney World.

Okay, so I’m a big kid, but I had no idea there was a technical name for fossilized dinosaur poop: Coprolite. Kinda cool.

Once you’re in line, you’ll be given a souvenir guidebook which catalogs the dinos, shares information about them, and compares them to modern-day creatures you can see elsewhere in the zoo. I thought this was a really neat feature.

Dinosaur Safari guests get tickets (great souvenirs; we got to keep ours) as well as a field guide which is packed with information about the dinosaurs you’ll meet on your journey.

There are staff members on hand to entertain small children, teaching them about adaptations and engaging them in a game of “Dino Says.” I don’t know if this is going to be available all the time or only on peak days, but it was a nice touch.

Before you board your vehicle, you can pose before a green-screen to have your photo taken (it will appear with a scary dinosaur backdrop). Your photo will be available to purchase at the end of your trip.

The ride vehicles are wagons pulled behind pick-up trucks. If you’ve done hay rides, then you’ve ridden in one of these before. And yes, there are vehicles that are fully handicap-accessible. If you’re concerned about how bumpy the ride is, don’t be. It’s actually pretty smooth, although there may be a jounce here and there. The vehicles go very slowly.

The pick-up truck that pulls the Dinosaur Safari ride vehicle.

The wagon for the ride is exactly the same type of wagon used for hayrides. There are benches on either side and a bench in the middle. The limit is 40 persons.

Our guide’s name was Rob, and he was really enthusiastic (I’m betting he loved dinosaurs as a kid). He cracked a few Jungle Cruise ride style jokes along the way, and it would’ve been fun to hear more.

Our Dinosaur Safari guide’s name was Rob. He was spirited and a lot of fun.

There is sweeping, Jurassic Park-esque music that plays just before you enter the trail, and it honestly does ramp up the excitement. Good call!

Uh-oh. One of the raptors was going to the Dinosaur Hospital. I guess he wasn’t feeling well that day.

The scenes you’ll see depicted are based on actual fossils that were found together. So although all the dinos are from different time periods, the tableaux that contain multiple animals are from the same time period and illustrate, according to the fossil record, scenes that actually happened.

Although we don’t know why they battled, paleontologists think that Tyrannosaurus Rex fought each other over territory and mates.

Another great thing about this ride is that we’re clearly beyond the land of the same old T-Rex and stegosaurus. Yes, those fellows make an appearance, but the tour features dinosaurs I’ve never heard of, like the kosmoceratops.

A couple of rapetosaurus (pronounced rah-PEE-toe-SORE-us), large herbivores, were victims of a hunting pack of carnivorous majungasaurus.

I liked this pentaceratops because the decorations on his crest reminded me of the design on a king cobra.

How cool are these kosmoceratops? Paleontologists believe that their horns weren’t structured soundly enough for defense, so they were probably only present for attracting mates.

These dinosaurs are cool. They move, they make noise, and your guide sheds light on what you’re looking at. They’re not Disney or Jurassic World: The Exhibition level, but they are certainly not cheap carnival either; far from it. They move pretty naturally and I didn’t see any mechanical jerking around. I could buy that these were real.

This is my new favorite dinosaur. The troodon was the creepiest of all of them in the ride, probably because they reminded me of monkeys, and I hate monkeys. But these guys fed on the eggs of large animals, like the maiasaura, which built mud nests like today’s flamingos.

The spinosaurus thrusting up out of the Bronx River was a scary sight! Spinosaurus were semi-aquatic. Definitely would make me think twice about swimming in a river.

The staff has done a wonderful job, also, with the vegetation in each scene: there are palms and exactly what you’d expect to see in that type of environment. If you have an imagination, it’s not a stretch to believe just for a moment that you’re actually looking into the past.

I loved the surreal aspect of this. Some of the dinosaurs’ positions were in areas where apartment buildings from outside the zoo served as a backdrop. It was crazy to see a dinosaur in front of a modern structure in the real world.

Against the backdrop of modern-day apartment buildings, this parasaurolophus looked surreal. Click below to hear this animal’s haunting call.

https://kristipetersenschoonover.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/parasaurolophus-call.mp3

Another great thing is that they are very close to the vehicle. You really get a sense of how large these animals actually were because of that, and, of course, it’s a great opportunity for video and photos, although honestly, don’t ride this thing and spend the whole time looking through a viewfinder. Really enjoy looking at it live and let yourself believe. It’s worth it.

You exit the ride vehicle at the Field Site. The area has large dinosaur bones, a dig site for kids, a cart with dinosaur-related souvenirs, a photo station (so you can take your photo with a T-Rex), and the counter to purchase the green-screen photo you took before you boarded the ride if you wish to do so.

Your journey lasts approximately ten minutes, give or take. Nathan and I waited in line nearly two hours for this (it was not only a weekend, it was a holiday, and we chose to be stupid and go right after lunch—when we were done at 3 p.m., the wait was down to about an hour), so of course, the ride felt short. I think a good amount of time to wait for this is about 30 to 40 minutes max. More than that, you may want to come back at a different time of day.

The gift card at the end of the ride was crammed with stuffed dinosaurs. I was tempted, but didn’t get one…I have so many stuffed animals I don’t know what to do with them all as it is!!

All in all, it was really cool, and I highly recommend it, especially for dinosaur freaks. I’ll go back and see it again, for sure!

Nathan clowns around with the T-Rex. Is that a smart idea?

A word on buying tickets

If you’re a non-member, the $6 attraction fee is included in the total experience ticket. You can also purchase them separately as an add-on to a base ticket if you know you won’t have time to visit all the plus-price experiences in the zoo that day.

However, if you are a member, this attraction is not included, which means your discounted $4 ticket still needs to be purchased. The member booth to purchase tickets is all the way up near the front of the line, but you can’t access it without waiting in line and getting to that point. The staff will ask you if you’re a member, and then pull your entire party right out of your hard-earned spot so you can purchase your tickets. When you are ushered back in line, several people have gone ahead of you, which is discouraging. This also pisses off several people who were behind you, because now they think you’re cutting the line.

Suggestions for members who want to visit:  A, purchase your $4 ticket online ahead of time. B, if you didn’t purchase online ahead of time and still need to buy tickets, don’t let them yank your entire party out of line. Choose one of you to purchase at the ticket booth; then, that person can catch up with you and you haven’t lost your place.

The Bronx Zoo’s Dinosaur Safari opened April 18 and runs through November 3, 2019. Admission to the attraction is $6 for non-members (although it is included if you purchase a “total attraction” ticket) and $4 for members (as noted above, buy them online ahead of time to avoid the mess of being pulled out of line).

Hope you’ll get a chance to visit!

A trip through time: The Bronx Zoo’s DINOSAUR SAFARI I’m going to keep this as spoiler-free as possible, because nothing ruins an adventure like knowing every damn little thing about it beforehand (it’s really not an adventure if that’s the case).

[imbriaart]

This weeks request was to design a creature based on a set of details that had a spinosaurus with twin shark fins and spikes. Do you want to be part of the weekly Patreon requests? Add your choice for as low as $1 on Patreon.com/DemonBlade/ New Weekly requests every Saturday or Sunday in 2018. #art #imbriaarts #drawing #monster #patreon #request https://www.instagram.com/p/BvqMNnbBZdN/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=a0tjg05ntn9b

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Here we have it. The Non-Neornithean Theropod Quadrant. Everything but the last two were determined by the most number of votes for that category; the last two were two of some of the other largely-voted-for theropods that were significantly different from the others that were placed in the Quadrant. 

The Sauropodomorph Survey will go up on Sunday. 

Herrerasaurus by Smnt2000; Majungasaurus by Nobu Tamura (CC BY 2.5); Spinosaurus by @ad-0rca-ble; Carcharodontosaurus by Nobu Tamura (CC BY 2.5); Compsognathus by Durbed (CC BY-SA 3.0); Yutyrannus by me; Gallimimus by John Conway; Mononykus by Andrey Atuchin (taking from the NHM Site); Nothronychus by @palaeoplushies; Anzu by @artisticthingem; Dakotaraptor by @ewilloughby (CC BY-SA 4.0); Balaur by @ewilloughby (CC BY-SA 4.0); Avisaurus by Green-Mamba; Hesperornis by Nobu Tamura (CC BY 3.0); Cryolophosaurus by @ahseeru; Confuciusornis by @ryuukibart