From the Colosseum in ancient Rome to the grassland in Africa, we can watch the hunting of lions. Although the scene of fierce predators chasing and biting prey is slightly bloody, we are deeply fascinated by the power and beauty contained in the law of the jungle. As the creature with the strongest biting force in history, how Tyrannosaurus Rex ate is perhaps the most eye-catching topic. However, the "first in history" bite force may be used to bite off the neck of the prey or the bones of the corpse, so as to eat as much food as possible. Then the question arises: is overlord a scavenger who picks up garbage or a hunter who eats fresh meat?
Pick up garbage or eat fresh meat
Tyrannosaurus rex has been shown to be closely related to birds and is likely to have a high metabolic rate. It is estimated that they need about 90 kilograms of food a day to survive, which is heavier than an ordinary adult! Where does so much meat come from? Obviously, picking up rotten meat may be easier to satisfy your appetite and save energy than hunting. So many paleontologists believe that Tyrannosaurus rex was a pure scavenger. At the same time, through the statistical analysis of the body structure of scavenging and hunting groups in modern mammals, and then adding T-Rex to the statistical data, it can be clearly found that T-Rex's hunting ability is at a disadvantage. The tiny forepaw can't hold down the prey when hunting to prevent it from breaking away; The fluctuating data of running speed also vaguely suggests that Tyrannosaurus Rex is still a little "slow" if it wants to pursue actively. Therefore, some people believe that these physical shortcomings make it difficult for Tyrannosaurus Rex to become an invincible hunter, but can only be willing to be a scavenger.
However, the above conjecture and statistical results about food decay are no more reasonable than the real evidence - T-Rex bite marks have been found on the fossils of Edmonton dragon and Triceratops. Some people will question that the bite marks may be the marks left by Tyrannosaurus Rex when they chewed the bodies of these herbivorous dinosaurs, which can not indicate that they are predators. But what's special about these bite marks is that there are signs of bone healing and growth again after injury on the edge of the bite marks, which shows that the living Edmonton dragon and Triceratops were bitten by T-Rex, and both survived after being bitten!
Dinosaur fans can breathe a sigh of relief. After all, carnivorous dragons chasing their prey are much more interesting than large lizards picking up garbage. However, there is a fact that can not be ignored: large carnivores hunt and eat carrion in order to obtain enough food or survive in extreme cases. Spotted hyenas (also known as "spotted hyenas") have long been considered scavengers, but a lot of food comes from live food. In the diet of African lions, 10% of the food is carrion, so T-Rex is likely to adopt this kind of survival strategy.
Tyrannosaurus Rex menu
Now that T-Rex tooth marks have been found on the skeletal fossils of Edmonton and Triceratops, they are likely to be the staple food on the menu. Edmonton dragon is a kind of duck billed dragon with a duck billed horny beak. It feeds on plants. It is named after being found in Edmonton, Canada. Edmonton dragon is 13 meters long, a little bigger than T-Rex, and some can weigh more than 10 tons. They are bulky, large enough to feed a large carnivorous dinosaur by walking with their forelimbs. Although the famous Triceratops were slightly smaller in length than T-Rex, they weighed a lot more than T-Rex. Previously, it was thought that their huge neck shield and sharp corners were used for self-defense, but recent studies believe that these are used for courtship and show off. So they are probably not opponents of Tyrannosaurus Rex.
In addition to the evidence of bite marks, paleontologists also found a large number of fecal fossils in Saskatchewan, Canada. Because the fecal fossils are huge, it is speculated that they are probably the excreta of Tyrannosaurus Rex, and the bone fragments contained in them are likely to belong to the skull of Triceratops. Edmonton dragon and Triceratops, two giant herbivores, seem to be the main course on the menu of Tyrannosaurus Rex.