The Stegosaurus at the Science Museum of Minnesota is an unusual one. Much like the specimen in the Burke Museum in Seattle, the skeleton is almost completely whitish gray, which may indicate that they were dug out of areas with similar types of mineral deposits. (Possibly clay and limestone.) The fossil’s length and giant tail spikes are also remarkable. (My friend Joe had to stand way back to take this picture!) The overall effect is pretty intimidating, and a good reminder that, even though these animals were herbivores, they were capable of causing a lot of destruction if provoked. An adult male likely weighed an average of 2-4 tons. Try to imagine getting charged at by a mini-bus with spikes, and you’ve got a decent idea of what these animals could do if they were defending their young or territorial by nature. Elephants and hippos (the animal that causes the most human deaths each year) are reasonably close living examples.
Minneapolis, MN – Science Museum of Minnesota
