Are There Any Dinosaurs Left Today?

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Plus, the modern creatures that can claim kinship with dinos
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Dinosaurs roamed the Earth as recently as 66 million years ago, and interestingly enough, not all of them lived at the same time! For example, avian dinosaurs, which are the distant ancestors of modern-day birds, evolved during the Late Jurassic period, while Tyrannosaurus Rex thrived during the Late Cretaceous period. But—could any of these fascinating creatures still be around? Do dinosaurs still exist? Keep reading for a comprehensive answer to this question—the answer might surprise you.

Are any dinosaurs still alive?

No, dinosaurs are not still alive. They went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous Period about 66 million years ago. However, paleontologists have found concrete fossil evidence that birds evolved from a group of dinosaurs called theropods over the course of millions of years. Technically, birds are living dinosaurs!

Section 1 of 5:

Do dinosaurs still exist?

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  1. 1
    No, dinosaurs as they lived millions of years ago do not exist today. Dinosaurs like the Stegosaurus, Velociraptor, and Tyrannosaurus Rex lived between 245 and 66 million years ago during the Mesozoic Era, which was divided into three distinct periods: the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous. At the end of the Cretaceous, evidence suggests that an asteroid collided with the Earth and caused the mass extinction event that killed all the dinosaurs, with the exception of some avian dinosaurs, which eventually evolved into birds. [1]
    • Avian dinosaurs were smaller and could fly, so they were able to more easily adapt to changing environmental conditions caused by the asteroid impact.
  2. 2
    However, modern-day birds are direct descendants of dinosaurs. Scientists agree that there’s a definite genetic link between modern birds and the winged lizards of the Cretaceous Period. Not all dinosaurs were birds, as most dinosaurs were earth-bound, terrestrial creatures, but there was a class of avian dinosaurs called theropods (picture dinos like a Velociraptor or Tyrannosaurus Rex). Birds evolved directly from theropods about 150 million years ago. [2]
    • Paleontologists have found significant similarities between the skeletons of some dinosaurs and modern bird species, including the fossilized presence of feathers.
    • Other evidence showcases similarities in behavior between avian dinosaurs and modern birds, including things like building nests and roosting.
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Section 2 of 5:

How did the dinosaurs go extinct?

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  1. Dinosaurs were wiped out after an asteroid impact 66 million years ago. Evidence suggests that an asteroid hit the planet 66-65 million years ago and caused a mass extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous. The asteroid hit the Yucatan Peninsula in modern-day Mexico, leaving behind the Chicxulub Crater. Scientists believe that the impact was responsible for creating a series of species-annihilating conditions, including heat waves, wildfires, ecological collapses, and a global winter as thick clouds of soot and debris covered the sun and changed the climate for years. [3]
    • Without the sun, plants couldn't thrive, leading to the death of herbivores, which in turn resulted in the death of both omnivores and carnivores.
    • Many groups of animals died, not only the dinosaurs. Ammonites and other marine life also perished.
Section 3 of 5:

Can dinosaurs ever exist again?

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  1. No, it’s very unlikely that dinosaurs could ever exist again. Although scientists have found dinosaur blood and tissue preserved in amber, the DNA itself is very sensitive and prone to decay, especially over the course of millions of years. The oldest surviving sample of DNA is thought to be from about 1 million years ago, 65 million years after the dinosaurs went extinct. Additionally, even if scientists did find stable dinosaur DNA, they would need the dinosaur’s entire genome, or complete DNA blueprint, to clone the animal. Without a full genome, there would be gaps in the DNA, which render it unusable. [4]
    • Genetically engineering a chicken to resemble its ancient ancestors may be possible, but it still wouldn’t be considered a dinosaur.
    • There are also many ethical dilemmas when it comes to the idea of cloning, engineering, or resurrecting extinct animals. Some people believe it goes against nature, while others argue that it’s unethical to bring an animal into a foreign modern environment that they likely won’t be able to survive in.
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Section 4 of 5:

Modern Animals Related to Dinosaurs

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  1. 1
    Crocodiles Crocodiles have been around just as long as the dinosaurs— about 237 million years. They likely managed to survive the extinction event due to their adaptability in freshwater environments. Both crocodiles and dinosaurs belong to a group called archosaurs, so crocodiles are not descendants of dinosaurs as much as they are close relatives. Cousins, if you will. [5]
    • Fun fact: Crocodiles share more in common genetically with birds than they do with other reptiles!
    • Although crocodiles are an ancient species, they haven’t changed much physically and are believed to resemble their Cretaceous counterparts very closely.
  2. 2
    Lizards Modern species of lizards are in the same family as dinosaurs, and for good reason, as the word dinosaur means “terrible lizard.” However, they’re more like fifth cousins twice removed than brother and sister, or even parent and child. In fact, although lizards and dinos share a common ancestor, they evolved in totally different ways. For example, a lizard’s legs spread out to their sides, while a T-rex’s legs face down.
  3. 3
    Sea turtles Sea turtles, alongside the dinosaurs, first appeared on Earth about 230 million years ago, and they’re still flipping around today. Turtles are credited with surviving two mass extinction events: one that took place at the end of the Triassic, and the major one that wiped out the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous. Sea turtles also happen to live up to about 100 years, making them both ancient and wise. [6]
  4. 4
    Snakes Snakes also date back to the Cretaceous Period, or at least, the Pachyrhachis problematicus does, which is the modern snake’s earliest ancestor. Millions of years ago, snakes had feet and more bones, which they eventually shed on an evolutionary level— pun intended. That’s right, these slithery villains of the reptile world have been on the planet for almost as long as there has been one. [7]
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Section 5 of 5:

Frequently Asked Questions

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  1. 1
    What animals still look like dinosaurs today? Although whether or not an animal looks like a dinosaur is relatively subjective, there are some modern animals that certainly resemble the remarkable beasts from the Cretaceous. Since birds are living descendants of dinosaurs, cassowaries, emus, and ostriches may look a bit like dinosaurs due to their size and features. Reptiles like crocodiles and alligators can also be described as “dinosaur-esque” due to their large, imposing scaly bodies, cold-blooded behaviors, and ancient pedigrees. [8]
  2. 2
    What was the last dinosaur to go extinct? There is no one dinosaur that outlived all the others— aside from birds, that is. All the dinosaurs went extinct after the mass extinction event of the late Cretaceous Period, believed to have been catalyzed by an asteroid hitting Earth. Dinosaurs on land and sea all perished, including the Triceratops, Majungasaurus, and Atrociraptor. [9]
  3. 3
    Are dinosaurs still alive in the ocean? No, there are no dinosaurs alive on Earth, including in its oceans. Although the deep sea is largely unexplored, it’s highly unlikely that some dinosaurs still dwell in its dark waters. While myriad prehistoric creatures once populated the ocean, like the humongous megalodon or the whale-like mosasaurs, they were classified as marine reptiles, not dinosaurs. Dinosaurs were almost exclusively land-dwellers. [10]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/when-did-dinosaurs-live.html
      2. ↑ https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-dinosaurs-evolved-into-birds.html
      3. ↑ https://ig.utexas.edu/marine-and-tectonics/chicxulub-crater/
      4. ↑ https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/could-scientists-bring-dinosaurs-back.html
      5. ↑ https://www.courthousenews.com/research-reveals-why-crocodiles-have-changed-little-since-age-of-dinosaurs/
      6. ↑ https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/turtle-and-bird-genomes-provide-tantalizing-clues-dinosaur-genomics-according-isu-scientist
      7. ↑ https://www.bbcearth.com/news/10-animals-with-pre-historic-roots
      8. ↑ https://a-z-animals.com/animals/lists/modern-day-animals-that-look-like-dinosaurs/
      9. ↑ https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/dino-directory/atrociraptor.html
      1. ↑ https://www.nature.com/articles/543603a

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