If you came across a Teratophoneus while walking the dog down St Kilda Beach, you (and Fido) would probably become a quick and tasty dinosaur snack. The 2.5 tonne, 8m-long beast had massive sharp teeth, and could run up to 25kmh. St Kilda beach-goers may have been thinking about this very situation on Friday, after Tūhura Otago Museum staff carefully dug giant dinosaur footprints on the beach, to highlight the museum’s latest exhibition “Dinosaurs: Surviving Extinction’’, which includes the grisly skull of a Teratophoneus. Produced by Gondwana Studios, the exhibition also includes a 3m-long Probactrosaurus, a juvenile Oviraptor and interactive displays which explore how dinosaurs did not entirely disappear during the mass extinction about 66 million years ago. One lineage survived and evolved into modern birds. Visitors will be able to compare three dinosaur groups and examine the evidence linking them with birds. ©Allied MediaTuhura Otago Museum design and exhibitions manager Shanaya Cunningham (left) and visitor experience head Hannah Treadwell inspect some dinosaur footprints at St Kilda beach. Photo: Gregor Richardson Museum marketing manager Charlie Buchan said dinosaurs had consistently been among the museum’s biggest drawcards over the years. “Who doesn’t love dinosaurs? They’re one of the first things you think of when you think of museums. “It’s crazy to imagine these giant creatures once walked the Earth, and even cooler to see them up close without the risk of being eaten.” Museum design and exhibitions manager Shanaya Cunningham said Dunedin residents could expect to see the dinosaurs extend well beyond the confines of the museum. “The footprints at St Kilda are a bit of a taste of what people can expect. “We want dinosaurs popping up in some unexpected places while the exhibition is here. “We’ve got some great ideas up our sleeves.” The exhibition opens on September 5. john.lewis@odt.co.nz
