The Oddity of the Gigantoraptor
In The Oddity of the Gigantoraptor, naturalist Steve Backshall explores this unusual dinosaur, highlighting its birdlike features along with its exceptionally large and sturdy eggs. Plus, check out an experiment to test how much weight a Gigantoraptor egg might have been able to withstand. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Deadly Dinosaurs, a documentary series in which host Steve Backshall is on the hunt for the deadliest animals to have walked the Earth — dinosaurs — exploring features of several species and putting their abilities to the test to reveal the raw power of these creatures.
Lesson Express
Q: What was special about Gigantoraptor’s egg?
A: It was about 24 inches (60 cm) in length, weighed about 11 pounds (5 kg), and is believed to be the largest egg ever.
Q: What was unique about the behavior of the dinosaur mother and her eggs?
A: Most dinosaurs would lay eggs and then leave them, but Gigantoraptor remained with the eggs for up to 80 days, protecting them from predators.
Q: What else was special about the Gigantoraptor eggs?
A: The eggs had extremely strong shells.
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In Dinosaur Killer: Sandstorm, naturalist Steve Backshall describes how massive sandstorms may have been responsible for killing large numbers of dinosaurs by blinding and suffocating anything in its path. Gigantoraptor was particularly vulnerable since it was extremely protective of its eggs, which were often buried in the sand. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Deadly Dinosaurs, a documentary series in which host Steve Backshall is on the hunt for the deadliest animals to have walked the Earth — dinosaurs — exploring features of several species and putting their abilities to the test to reveal the raw power of these creatures.
In Dinosaur Killer: Sandstorm, naturalist Steve Backshall describes how massive sandstorms may have been responsible for killing large numbers of dinosaurs by blinding and suffocating anything in its path. Gigantoraptor was particularly vulnerable since it was extremely protective of its eggs, which were often buried in the sand. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Deadly Dinosaurs, a documentary series in which host Steve Backshall is on the hunt for the deadliest animals to have walked the Earth — dinosaurs — exploring features of several species and putting their abilities to the test to reveal the raw power of these creatures.