The Jurassic Period

The Jurassic Period lasted from about 201 to 145 million years ago. It is one of the most famous time periods because of the movie Jurassic Park! Giant long-necked dinosaurs roamed the land. The first birds took to the sky during this time.

Giants of the Jurassic

The Jurassic Period was the time of the giant sauropods. Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus, and Apatosaurus all lived during this time. Predators like Allosaurus hunted them. Stegosaurus also lived during the Jurassic. Lush fern forests and conifer trees covered the land.

A Warm, Green World

The Jurassic world was warm and humid. There was no ice at the poles. Pangaea was starting to break apart into separate continents. Shallow seas covered parts of the land. The first birds, like Archaeopteryx, appeared. The first small mammals scurried around at night.

Fun Facts

• The Jurassic Period is named after the Jura Mountains in Europe, where its rocks were first studied.
• Many dinosaurs from the movie Jurassic Park actually lived during the Cretaceous Period, not the Jurassic.
• Oxygen levels were higher during the Jurassic, which may have helped dinosaurs grow so large.

Did You Know?

The Jurassic Period was so warm that there were no polar ice caps. Even Antarctica had forests full of ferns and tall trees!