Utahraptor/Generation 1

“	Utahraptor. With lethal claws, this five-metered killer is well armed, and long fingers help them to latch on to swift moving larger prey.	”
– Kenneth Branagh (Narrator) Giant of the Skies (Episode)

Utahraptor (meaning “thief from Utah) was a dromeosaurid dinosaur of the theropod family, though at 5–8 meters in length, 2–3 meters in height, and 1000 kilograms in weight, it is the biggest member of its family found so far, much bigger than its later kin, such as the more famous Velociraptor.

Utahraptors in Walking with Dinosaurs — *Utahraptors* in *Walking with Dinosaurs*

However, just like the later raptor species, Utahraptor was armed with sickle-like claws on its hind legs and it had self-replenishing teeth in its jaws and also talons on its fingers. Thus, these killers were well armed. Like tigers, raptors have the legs of a sprinter and don't pursue their victims for long, tending to save their energy for later. They can eat as much as 220 pounds/100 kilograms of meat in a single sitting. As with coyotes and spotted hyenas, Utahraptor have a strict pecking order at kills as adults are always the ones to eat first.

Facts[]

A re-description paper is being written that will drastically change what we know about Utahraptor. Therefore this section is currently removed.

Errors[]

The Utahraptors of Walking With Dinosaurs have several anatomical inaccuracies. They lack feathers, the head is far too blocky and stout, and the animals have pronated hands. To add, whilst the episode depicts the animals as living in Europe, no fossil evidence has been found of such, with the Utahraptor likely being native to namesake Utah, as that is where the fossils have really been found, discovered and unearthed.

In Walking with... Series[]

Walking with Dinosaurs[]

Giant of the Skies[]

Utahraptor lived in the Early Cretaceous time period (127-121 MYA), when it hunted in packs, as featured in Walking with Dinosaurs ep. 4. Its' prey included various plant-eating dinosaurs such as European Iguanodon and Polacanthus, also featured in that episode. It was shown to be capable of hunting in packs (or at least family groups) and launching ambushes similar to those of modern lions or similar carnivores.

It is possible that the Utahraptor can be considered to be a minor villain or antagonist of Giant of the Skies. In The Making Of episode of the series, after the end credits, a smoking, talking Utahraptor complains about how hard it was for him to work with the animators.

Walking with Dinosaurs: A Natural History (Beneath A Giant's Wings)[]

In the book, the lead female Utahraptor attacks the Iguanodon but is injured by the Iguanodon's thumb spike.

Merchandise[]

A toy of Utahraptor was made by Toyway for their Walking with Dinosaurs line. It was packaged with Leaellynasaura.

A toy of Utahraptor was made as merchendise for Walking With Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular.

Utahraptor/Generation 1

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