Facts About Brachiosaurus
The Brachiosaurus lived around 154 million years ago in the Jurassic period and was one of the most impressive dinosaurs of its time. In this article, we’ll explore some fun facts about the cool Brachiosaurus and what makes it such a fascinating dinosaur, from its long neck to why its front legs were longer than the back!
If you’re looking to become a dinosaur expert, get ready to explore the interesting world of the Brachiosaurus. Don’t forget to check out the rest of the site for lots of top tips about dinosaurs!
What did the Brachiosaurus look like?
The Brachiosaurus was one of the tallest dinosaurs to ever live, partly due to its incredibly long neck, which could stretch even further! Unlike modern long-necked animals like the giraffe, Brachiosaurus had a massive, sloping body. Their distinct, sloped shape was down to their front legs being longer than their back legs, likely to help them stretch out even further and higher! While we’re still guessing exactly what some dinosaurs looked like, check out the below example of a mighty Brachiosaurus.
Can you see how its back slopes upwards towards the neck because of its long front legs? Despite its enormous size and great reaching capability, the Brachiosaurus had a relatively small head in comparison. However, their long snout might have helped them reach even further, and their large nostrils would have given them a great sense of smell, making it easier to find food.
As the exact appearance of dinosaurs remains uncertain, the images above are provided for illustrative purposes only and have been generated using AI technology.
How big was the Brachiosaurus?
As one of the biggest dinosaurs we know of, the Brachiosaurus was an absolute giant. It could grow to a whopping 85 feet long and 40 feet tall—as long as three buses lined up and as tall as two giraffes! Given its massive size, it’s no surprise that it weighed 50 tons, which is roughly the weight of a whole ten elephants! Can you imagine the sound of a Brachiosaurus stomping around with that weight and size?
Similar to the Stegosaurus , the Brachiosaurus was pretty slow for its size and likely took its time walking around. This might’ve even been beneficial so they wouldn’t miss food, but we doubt they were in a particular rush anyway!
What did the Brachiosaurus eat?
The Brachiosaurus was a herbivore, so it would have fed on plants that were abundant at the time. Thanks to its long, stretching neck, it could reach high up into the top of trees where most other dinosaurs couldn’t reach. Even other herbivorous dinosaurs that survived on plants, like the Triceratops , wouldn’t have been able to reach as high as the mighty Brachiosaurus.
Although the Brachiosaurus had lots of options, they likely would have eaten ferns, conifers, and other tall plants. Conifers can refer to trees, so they probably munched on leaves just like a giraffe would today! The Brachiosaurus also would have been eating quite often as it needed a lot of energy to maintain its huge body. Being such a slow mover, they probably spent their days eating as they walked!
Where did the Brachiosaurus live?
As a herbivore, we know that the Brachiosaurus lived in a plant-heavy environment where it had lots of access to food. If you’ve learned about where some other dinosaurs lived, you might already have an idea! The Brachiosaurus lived in what we now call North America, but back then it was full of forests, rivers, fields, and marshes.
The climate was warm and tropical, similar to that of the Amazon rainforest! All of these factors made it the perfect place for a Brachiosaurus to thrive, with lots of trees and other vegetation to snack on. Isn’t it cool to imagine that 150 million years ago, North America was just green forests and fields?
What killed the Brachiosaurus?
While most dinosaurs died out in the eventual mass extinction when a meteor hit the Earth, the Brachiosaurus likely went extinct long before this. As it lived in the late Jurassic Period, it most likely succumbed to the changing climate that signalled the end of this period in time. As new predators evolved and plants began to change or disappear, the Brachiosaurus wouldn’t have been able to find food so easily or fend off predators, particularly with its slow movements and lack of defence.
Alternatively, it may have been that the Brachiosaurus couldn’t handle the changing temperatures and weren’t able to adapt to the new conditions on Earth. Even if it were able to find food, it likely wouldn’t have been able to find enough to sustain its huge weight. Scientists still don’t know exactly what happened to them, but it was likely a combination of the above climate factors.
Fun Brachiosaurus Facts
- The Brachiosaurus had the longest neck out of all the dinosaurs. Their neck alone was 30 feet long, making it as tall as a tree and longer than a giraffe!
- It was likely a very peaceful and gentle dinosaur, focusing its time on eating its favourite plants.
- The Brachiosaurus’s adaptations for eating leaves are incredibly unique, from its long neck to its sloping back. They were seemingly designed just for eating tree leaves!
- When they weren’t eating, their long necks helped them look over obstacles that other dinosaurs couldn’t. While they wouldn’t be able to run very fast, they would be able to spot a predator (or even more food) from a distance.
- The name Brachiosaurus comes from the Greek words “brachion” and “sauros”, which means “arm lizard”. This is probably because their longer front legs looked like arms, so the Greeks named them exactly what they looked like!
- Brachiosaurus babies were likely very tiny compared to adult ones, which means they probably grew up very quickly and ate a lot of food to do so. Imagine if you ate lots of food and suddenly woke up as tall as a Brachiosaurus!
Closing Summary:
As one of the biggest dinosaurs and sporting the longest neck, the Brachiosaurus remains one of the most impressive and unique dinosaurs of its time. It’s particularly known for its peaceful and slow plant-eating nature—do you think you could’ve been friends with a Brachiosaurus?
Like other dinosaurs, the Brachiosaurus is long gone, but scientists are continuing to learn more about them and other dinosaurs through fossils. These are parts of dinosaurs that have turned into rock over time, keeping them preserved for us to study! Maybe one day you can study them too or become an archaeologist and explore North America where the Brachiosaurus used to roam.
Whether you’re a budding scientist or just a mega dinosaur fan, we’ve got plenty of other articles and fun facts for you to explore, so get going!
Brachiosaurus Questions And Answers
If you enjoyed learning about the Brachiosaurus, test your knowledge with our 20 Questions and Answers Worksheet! This fun and educational printable helps kids challenge themselves and reinforce what they’ve learned about this amazing dinosaur.
The worksheet features 20 questions about the Brachiosaurus’s height, diet, and habitat. Whether you’re a young dino fan or a teacher seeking a classroom activity, this resource is perfect. Download it today and keep the dinosaur fun going!
