Dinosaurs' LIVING Descendants
From crocodiles and lizards … to prehistoric birds and turtles ... Here are 15 living descendants of dinosaurs
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#7 Shoebill Stork
It’s easy to see how these bizarre, stork-like birds got their common name: It’s by virtue of its enormous bill. While that 9 inch (23 cm) bill might appear cartoonish, the animal can use it to deadly effect when it comes to hunting prey. After using it to scoop up its victim, the bird opens the bill just enough for the critter’s head to poke out. Then the bird suddenly clamps down and swallows the creature whole. A behavior worthy of dinos. They’re found throughout the freshwater swamps of central Africa, and were familiar creatures to the ancient Egyptians.
#6 Kiwi
You’ll find a couple of surprises regarding this shy little bird from New Zealand. For one, they lay the largest eggs of any known bird species relative to its body mass. While they’re about the size of a domestic chicken, they’re closely related to much larger beasts like cassowaries and emus. Like those two critters the Kiwi belongs to a group of flightless birds called ratites (RAT-tites), and is the smallest member. The largest species of Kiwi can weigh about 7 pounds (3.3 kg). Given those miniscule proportions, the Kiwi’s resemblance to cassowaries might not be so apparent. You also wouldn’t imagine that this creature carries T-rex DNA in its blood. Here’s another fun fact: Although these birds are flightless, there’s evidence to suggest that was not always the case. Some studies have suggested that Kiwis may have arrived in New Zealand by flying there!
#5 Saltwater Crocodile
Next to birds many experts say that crocodiles are the animals most closely related to dinosaurs. You can believe it in the case of this monster. This big reptile holds several records in the animal kingdom. It is recognized as the world’s largest extant reptile, and well as the world’s largest riparian (rie-PARE-ee-uhn) predator. And it’s a scary apex predator as well. Going some 20 feet long (6 m) and weighing more than 2,000 pounds (907 kg), they can take out pretty near any animal unwise enough to trespass its territory. That size and aggression tend to place salties among the crocodilians that pose the greatest hazard to humans.
#4 Ostrich
The title of world’s biggest bird goes to this animal. Larger males can tower over 9 feet tall (2.7 m) and weigh 345 pounds (156 kg). With its ability to run at peak speeds of 60 mph (97 km/h) for short periods, they’re the fastest bird on land. That speed also makes them the world’s fastest animal on two legs! Some of their other titles include producing the largest eggs of any living bird on the planet. They can weigh approximately 3 pounds (1.3 kg), and measure almost 6 inches long (15 cm). Did you know that ostriches played a role in the 1993 Jurassic Park film? When the filmmakers needed a model for Gallimimus (gal-ih-mime-us), they were inspired by how ostriches moved in herds.
#3 Alligator Snapping Turtle
If there’s one animal on the list that looks like it traveled back from prehistoric times, it would be this reptile. With their thick, scaly tails, spiky shells and fearsome beaklike jaws, they look like they could be the dinosaurs of the turtle world. On average, they have a carapace that can exceed 30 inches (76 cm) while weighing nearly 180 pounds (82 kg). That serves to make them one of the world’s heaviest freshwater turtles. Experts say they the animals are capable of living for more than a century. They’ve managed to inhabit North American wetlands for more than 70 million years, going virtually unchanged in all that time.
#2 Cassowary
It may bear a resemblance to the ostrich, but this beast was once voted ‘the most dangerous bird on the planet’ by Guinness. That rep is linked to the critter’s powerful legs. They have sharp talons that can serve to disembowel an aggressor in a single kick. And if you get one agitated, you better be a fast runner. These birds can reach speeds over 30 miles per hour (50 kph), and are also excellent swimmers! That keratinous casque (cask) on their head gives them a prehistoric appearance. But experts are divided over what exact function it serves. Some guesses include it being used as a weapon in mating disputes, or protecting their heads from falling seeds the size of golfballs.
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