“In the Footsteps of Dinosaurs” A seasonal, self-guided activity trail especially for families             “In the Footsteps of Dinosaurs” Dinosaurs were the dominant vertebrate animals of land ecosystems for over 160 million years until they suddenly disappeared about 65 million years ago. We only know of their existence through fossils. The term “dinosaur” literally means “terrible lizard”. Follow this trail to find out more about dinosaurs and visit some plants that would have been seen (and maybe eaten) by dinosaurs. Have fun and enjoy your walk!  Monster Dinosaurs  Dawn Redwood Dinosaurs varied in size. The biggest dinosaurs were plant eaters. As you enter the Gardens, spot the picture of the dinosaur (marked number 1) to your right across the grass. Brachiosaurus could grow as long as the distance from the edge of the path to the picture of the dinosaur (up to 26 metres). Diplodocus, a member of the same family as Brachiosaurus, could be as long as 35 metres. Like the dinosaurs themselves, this deciduous conifer was known only by fossil records, until its rediscovery in central China in 1941. The leaf of the Dawn Redwood may look familiar as it is the emblem of the Gardens and appears on this leaflet and on the staff uniform.  Ginkgo The Ginkgo is the sole survivor of an ancient plant family once thought to be extinct, like the dinosaurs.  Gunnera  Dinosaur Footprint Fossils of dinosaur footprints have been found. These logs look almost like dinosaur footprints.  Dinosaur’s view of the Gardens Walk up into the tree house. From the top, looking down by the picture of the dinosaur (marked number 3), is nearly 4 metres from the top of the railing to the ground. This is around the same height as a Stegosaurus, another plant eating dinosaur. Gunnera is often known as “giant rhubarb”, although another common nickname is “dinosaur food”, referring to the curious conical flower spikes. It certainly looks like a plant a dinosaur might have liked as a snack. Gunnera has a rich fossil record dating back 93 million years, largely based on its distinctive pollen. Stomp across the nearby wobbly bridge pretending to be a dinosaur!  Fern At the beginning of the dinosaur age, lowshrubby fern-like plants dominated the landscape. There are several types of ferns in this area - can you find any?  Magnolia Magnolias appeared around 100 million years ago and were one of the first flowering plants. They would have been seen by many different dinosaurs. Look around for fallen furry bud cases, petals, skeleton leaves and sticks. Use what you can find to create a picture of a dinosaur on the ground. Remember not to pick any growing plants.  Monkey Puzzle Tree Monkey puzzle trees are living relatives of trees that flourished long before dinosaurs ever trod the earth. Monkeys would certainly find it a puzzle to climb up this tree avoiding the spikes! Have you seen any birds during your walk? Birds and crocodiles are generally considered to be the closest living relatives to dinosaurs.