Time Travel Tuesday: Citipati

• Posted at 4:10 pm on May 22, 2013 by Lexi
• In Animals & Exhibits Comments: 0

It’s Tuesday once again, and that can only mean one thing - it is Time Travel Tuesday! Hop on board and buckle up, because this week’s trip is taking us back 100 million years to revisit the Cretaceous period. This week’s mission: find the Citipati.

Unlike the other dinosaurs we have discovered, this particular dinosaur shares a few characteristics with the birds of today’s world. Here are some clues to help you find it:

• Nine feet long.
• Long neck.
• Short Tail.
• Feathers.
• Huge crest on head.
• Toothless beak.
• Often guarding its eggs by situating itself on top of the nests.



Have you found the Citipati yet? Perhaps you should look for a nest, because these birds were often protecting their eggs by covering them with their bodies. This kept the eggs warm and hidden from predators. Paleontologists have found fossilized Citipati eggs that were nearly seven inches long and oval shaped. They believe Citipati nests could hold as many as 22 eggs at a time. Make sure you are looking on the ground, because even though these dinosaurs look a lot like birds, they were non-avian and incapable of flying. If you do happen to stumble upon a Citipati nest, it is most likely being watched over by the father Citipati. Scientists have found evidence that has led them to believe the father took care of the nest and baby dinosaurs.

The discovery of the Citipati was fairly recent, so information regarding these bird-like dinosaurs is still being revealed. We know that the Citipati was a carnivore and it had a toothless beak. The Citipati discovery also helped link the birds of today to dinosaurs of the past. However, a lot more is still out there to be learned about the Citipati. What can you uncover while observing them? For a first-hand experience, visit Dinosaurs! at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo now through September 15.

Dinosaurs! is presented by Dollar Bank with support from Discount Drug Mart, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District and Cleveland Clinic Children’s.

Time Travel Tuesday: Brachiosaurus

• Posted at 3:53 pm on May 21, 2013 by Lexi
• In Animals & Exhibits Comments: 0

It's that time once again!  This week is all about the Brachiosaurus, a dinosaur that was nearly 85 feet long.  Get ready for a fun filled day of time travel when you read this week's Time Travel Tuesday!

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Time Travel Tuesday: T.rex

• Posted at 10:45 am on May 20, 2013 by Lexi
• In Animals & Exhibits Comments: 0

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to walk with the dinosaurs? Our newest blog installment, Time Travel Tuesday, takes you back in time to meet a unique dinosaur and learn about its lifestyle and habits. This week's featured dinosaur is the mighty T.rex!

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Who's Who: Meet Education Specialist Katie Corr

• Posted at 4:22 pm on May 17, 2013 by Joe Yachanin
• In Who's Who at the Zoo Comments: 0

Meet Education Specialist Katie Corr! Katie coordinates the Zoo's Advanced Inquiry Program for graduate students through a partnership with Miami University's Project Dragonfly. Read on to find out a little bit more about what that means and how Katie got her start at the Zoo.

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April Photo Safari "Pic of the Month" winner!

• Posted at 9:55 am on May 02, 2013 by Jo
• In Events Comments: 0

Congratulations to Nick Cancilliere of Parma, our first Photo Safari "Pic of the Month" winner of 2013!

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