Raptors

Another big star of the Jurassic Park Slot Machine is the Velociraptor.

The Velociraptor "quick seizer" is dinosaur that lived in the Cretaceous Period (75 to 71 million years). 2 species are known: V. mongoliensis and V. osmolskae. 

Velociraptor is a so called "dromaeosaurids" (other examples include Deinonychus and Achillobator). It moved around on 2 legs and was a carnivore like Tyrannosaurus Rex and had a long tail and a sickle-shaped claw on each hindfoot, thought to have been used to kill prey. 

Like the T Rex, the Velociraptor is well known to the public (thans to its starring role in Jurrassic Park!) In real life, the raptors were smaller than the beasts shown in the movies, and were probably feathered.

Here's the movie clip from Jurassic Park with the Velocorapter in the kitchen. They were much smaller than this, and probably feathered by the way! Oh, and they probably didn't hunt in packs, but hey, why let the facts get in the way of a great scene!

More Velociraptor Facts

The "Velociraptors" in Jurassic Park were actually based on another raptor called Deinonychus. But I guess the name is not as easy or memorable- it just didn't cut it in Hollywood! Velociraptors were alot smaller (about the same size as turkeys). You probably still wouldn't want to meet one on a dark knight in a dark alley though...

They lived in what is now calles Central Asia (fossils have been found in Mongolia, for example). All of the fossils found so far have been as solitary dinosaurs. We don't really know ifit hunted in packs. The larger Deinonychus may have done so, though.

Scientists don't actually believe that it was that quick either. They generally picked on dinosaurs their own size, using those famous hind claws to cut and slash.

If you enjoyed the Jurassic Park Movie franchise, you might like the Jurassic Park Slot (here). There are plenty of Velicoraptors and Triceratops in it!