Synopsis: "This story will talk about a male Carnotaurus named Ace, and show us how he makes it in the world."


La Colonia Formation/Argentina

70 million years ago/Campanian stage of the Late Cretaceous

Somewhere on the edge of a Late Cretaceous forest, in a nest made of sand and plants, is a clutch of eggs. Inside one of them, something is stirring. It is now the middle of the wet season, and, already, there are signs of life. From out of his egg chamber, pushes through and hatches a tiny little creature. He has two stubby little horns above his eyes, which will get bigger one day when he's grown. As for what species he is, this is a baby Carnotaurus sastrei. He will be named Ace, and he will also lead us throughout his world of 70 million years ago, in the land that will one day become Argentina, to tell us his success story.

Right now, he's just hatched from his egg, and all around him, his brothers and sisters are all just beginning to hatch from their eggs. Together, they call out together, confusing Ace. Just then, a huge, 2 ton, 12 foot tall Carnotaurus, a male, approaches the nest, having heard the squeaking of the hatchlings. They are all at his mercy. Fortunately though, this is their father. Normally, he would have a mate with him, which would be their mother, to welcome them to the world, but sometime ago, after their eggs were laid, she was killed during a recent hunt. So, now, he is all there is to take care of them, until they're old enough to take care of themselves. For right now, Ace stumbles out of the nest to greet his father, awestruck by his size. He is welcomed to the world by a warm shine of sunlight and a nuzzle by his father. For now, he can rely on his father's protection, but, within weeks, he will have to learn to stand on his own two feet. In about six to seven years, he could become a relatively large and fast-footed predator like his father, but the odds on him surviving that long, right now, are low.

4 days later….

Ace and his siblings have been staying very close to the nest. But if anything, it is starting to become much less of a safe place to be. Nearby, a pair of predatory Noasaurus leali watch the brood, waiting for their chance. The father Carnotaurus is 30 times their weight, so they will not venture too close while he is present. However, the smell of all these new hatchlings will soon attract other larger predators. So, eventually, the father decides that it is time to lead his unruly brood away.

Ace has been born into a world dominated by relatively large animals. And 70 million years ago, many of them coexisted and lived alongside one another. The herbivore 14 meters in length was named Aeolosaurus rionegrinus, after the Greek mythological figure, Aeolus, Keeper of the Winds in Homer's Odyssey, because of the frequent winds that blow across Patagonia. Another residence was Armadillosuchus arrudai, a crocodilian relative whose name literally means "Armadillo Crocodile". The small predator, Noasaurus, was also found in wide numbers.

Meanwhile, Ace and his family arrive at a large pond, which is the local watering hole. This will be their new home until Ace and his siblings are old enough to fend for themselves. Just as they begin to settle in, the forest echoes with sounds of homecoming. An annual pilgrimage is nearing its end. These titans called Saltasaurus loricatus have been on the move for weeks. All of them are females; generations of mothers, daughters, sisters and aunts, heading for their nesting ground in a ritual as old as time. Some of them are young heifers, who are making the trip for the first time in their lives since they were born, while most of them are older, more experienced, individuals. Laden with eggs, they're anxious and wary. The Carnotaurus family watches them go by, and Ace, awestruck by what he's witnessing, is beginning to realize that one day, he will have to find and take his place in this great big world that he lives in. Some of the members of the herd make a quick pitstop to quench their thirst, and Ace and two of his siblings curiously, but cautiously approach them. But then… they've been noticed by one of the sauropods, who lowers her head and softly lows at them. But Ace and his siblings still wisely give them a wide berth. Once they've had their fill, they continue their long journey. For them, the journey hasn't been easy. These dinosaurs are constantly dodging predators, and the only protection they have is their relatively armored backs, their long whip-like tails, and each other. The larger the herd, the better the odds.

Still, many don't make it. Killers are on the loose.

Aucasaurus garridoi, a smaller relative of Carnotaurus, is a ton of terror, with an insatiable appetite for flesh. This is a teenaged mated pair, who have recently got together. The tan-ish bright orange one with the patch of red on its head is a male, and the mostly bright gray-ish one is a female, and they have been drawn by the rotting corpse of a dead Saltasaurus, most likely to be one of the, now deceased, members of the herd. A quick look to be sure they're alone. Then, they begin to feast on the carcass. But they hadn't realized that they've already been noticed by Ace's father, who sees this as an opportunity to provide a meal for his family. So, he leaves Ace and his siblings safely hidden in the underbrush, and heads towards the carcass and the Aucasaurus pair. While the Aucasaurs are busy feeding, Ace's father approaches them and gets their attention with a bellowing roar. The pair are none too pleased to see him and try to heat him off with a warning of hisses, but Ace's father will not stand for this and asserts his dominance, forcing them away from the carcass. He aggressively bellows a series of growls and roars at the Aucasaurs, and forces them to back off. He gives out one last mighty warning roar at them before turning his attention to the carcass. Ace's father calls his young, and they all come running out the underbrush towards the carcass and begin to feed upon it with their father. The Aucasaurs are deeply angered and dismayed by this, but, unfortunately, they know that there is nothing they could do about it. So, they decide to come back at a later date to claim their share once their larger rival and his children leave.

A substantial meal for the family. But they'll have to make the most of it and soon take as much as they can, before the smell of the carcass soon attracts other scavengers, including other Carnotaurus.

4 months later….

4 months have passed, and Ace and his siblings have quadrupled in size. They have each grown into a juvenile, and are no longer the easy pickings they once were. While his father and siblings rest underneath a tree together, Ace explores his surroundings. Right now, he's exploring along the shoreline of the pond. He spots an Armadillosuchus. This armadillo-like crocodile relative is about 2 meters long and weighs about 120 kilograms. He is also one of those of many that lives almost entirely on land, and, like most, is a carnivore. Although he presents no threat to Ace, he can still be territorial if his stretch of the pond is invaded. So, Ace gives him a wide berth. Nearby, a mother Noasaurus tending her nest mound piques Ace's interest even more. But the young Carnotaurus is about to find out he is no match for an overprotective mother. The Noasaurus kicks up dirt and dust, and hisses and screeches at him. Ace knows better than to get any closer and walks off.

Ace returns to the shoreline and then sees something of interest. In the shallow water, a ferocious, 3 foot long garfish. Then, as it is snagged out of the water by something, in the blink of an eye, it has become lunch for a giant Austroraptor cabazai. They are relatives of Velociraptors, but much, much bigger. 20 feet from head to tail and weighing over 800 pounds. And with teeth not unlike those of a crocodile, these dinosaurs are very skilled at catching fish. They are much like a hybrid of Raptors and Spinosaurids or the Grizzly Bear of Raptors.

Ace is amazed by this super-sized member of the raptor family, and the Austroraptor, along with more of its kind here, in return, doesn't see Ace as much of a threat either. For most of the year, unlike most members of the raptor family, they're solitary hunters. But as the number of fish increases during summer, so does the number of Austroraptors. Which explains the reason why there are so many of them here at the pond. Ace is intrigued by this, and decides to join the Austroraptors for a little while before returning to his family. The biggest try to keep the best fishing spots for themselves…. They won't tolerate rivals. Ace notices a young male Austroraptor being driven off by an older rival and decides to join him. For those not yet in their prime, just like Ace, it's a challenging time of year. This young male that Ace has made friends with, still in his juvenile colors, has little hope of securing a good place to fish. However, fortunately for him, there are other ways of getting a meal here. With some much food around, the larger adults are very wasteful feeders. They often eat only the choicest parts of the fish. And for a youngster, like him, any leftovers will do very nicely. Ace is starting to feel hungry too. But, he is not a fish eater. But again, for a youngster like him and his new friend, any leftovers will do very nicely. The young Austroraptor goes in for a shot. But, it's risky. To succeed, he will have to be sneaky. And stealthy, too. He gets as very close as he can, but before he can grab anything, the adult catches him and bodily assaults him. But he manages to get away safely. Though, unfortunately, bruised and empty-handed. But Ace is relieved that his new friend is okay, even though they didn't get anything to eat. But with the adults still feasting around them, there might be another opportunity. And it's not long before there is one for them to seize. Two adult Austroraptors fighting over the best fishing spot. They're so busy fighting, that neither of them notice Ace and his friend watching from nearby. They spot two dead garfish on the ground, hardly noticed by either one of the two larger adults. And the fight soon starts spinning out of control with one adult chasing the other one away from sight. Time for the youngster to make a move. He picks up the two garfish in his jaws. And time to leave. The minute he hears the victor coming back after he notices him, he immediately makes a run for it with Ace with the fish in his mouth, before the adult can even attack him.

Success. And more than just scraps. For him, a lesson learnt. And when the good conditions return next year, perhaps he'll be able to challenge for a fishing spot of his own. But for now, he enjoys his catch with Ace. He gulps down his fish with no problem at all, while Ace processes his fish before wolfing it down, as well. Though it wasn't much of a meal, it was definitely, nonetheless, worth eating. Just then, Ace's siblings arrive, along with their father, and Ace introduces them all to his new friend. And both he and all the other Austroraptors in the area are amazed and awestruck by the size of Ace's father. Ace and his family know that it is time to go home now. So, he says goodbye to his new friend, hoping to see him again someday when they're both older, before leaving with his siblings and father.

2 months later….

2 more months have passed, and now, Ace and his siblings have grown to half the size of their father. They are each now in the prime of their lives, and ready to learn how to hunt, so they can take care of themselves. There are a variety of choices for them to make, and their best bet is Saltasaurus. But first, they have to single one individual to separate from the rest to gang up on. And they all can sense that one elderly bull Saltasaurus is in a pretty poor condition. So, they decide, immediately, that that's the one they're going to attack. And so, in their father's stead, Ace and his siblings dare to take on the challenge of the hunt today. So, they all move carefully into position while their father stays right where he is. These titans may be as big as Carnotaurus, but they're still not easy to take down. Even one that is old or sick, like the family's quarry. Even if they do manage to separate it from the rest of the herd, Ace and his siblings are mostly likely to fail, unless they find their target's weak points and quickly manage to overwhelm and overpower it. Eventually, Ace starts off the hunt by bursting out of the bushes and causing the herd to panic. Then, his siblings break cover and help him in separating their quarry from the rest of the herd and surrounding and attacking it from all different directions. After several attacks, a combination of shock and blood loss, combined with his old age and illness, starts to bring the old bull Saltasaurus to his knees. For Ace, this is his first successful hunt. As well as his siblings'.

He roars in victory, along with his siblings, and their father is very impressed as he approaches his now grown-up and near-independent children. He nuzzles Ace first, then the rest of his children, to offer his congratulations before they all dig in to their new meal, which will be one of the last meals they'll ever have together before Ace and his sibling will eventually leave him for good in order to take care of themselves. Most will live alone while others who feel very connected with one another will decide to stay together for survival.

3 years later…. (Ace's Fourth Year)

Ace now hunts alone with only two of his brothers and two of his sisters. The rest of his siblings have parted ways with him, as well as his father, who they all left, and now, they are all striving and thriving very well. Right now, they are expanding their home territory, which includes forests and plains, but also, a few hundred square kilometers of a desert that may look like a dusting of snow, but its great dunes are composed, not of sand, like most, but instead, of gypsum. Gypsum is a fine white mineral that dissolves in water so easily, it can only exist in solid form in the driest areas on Earth. These dunes are so dry, that living here is almost impossible, even for a Carnotaurus, like Ace and his pack. Yet some dinosaurs manage to do so. Like this particular species, a herd of which, that is migrating and moving into Ace's territory.

Secernosaurus koeneri. A type of small hadrosaur. Although they can survive on a poor quality diet, every decade or so, this part of Ace's territory dries out so extremely that almost all the vegetation shrivels and dies. Because of this, they're heading for the forests and plains that make up the majority of Ace's territory. With young to care for, This could be the end of the herd, but, fortunately, some of the older, more experienced, individuals may remember other potential sources of food and water, like those around the center of Ace's territory. And for Ace, himself, and his clan, they definitely bring an opportunity for another meal. They'll follow the herd to the plains and forests, where their nest is located, and, there, that's where they'll begin the plans for a hunt.

3 hours later….

The herd has finally reached their destination and begins to feed on the lush ground vegetation that grows around the lake near the forest that lies to the east, and there watching them from a short distance and within among the trees is Ace and his siblings. They first scan the herd for any potential targets. Eventually, they lock and hone in on their chosen target; an inexperienced individual that has separated itself from the rest of the group. Ace has his siblings quietly move to their ambush spots, while he, alone, starts off the hunt. Whenever he is on the prowl, Ace knows better than to rush. His opponents usually take turn posting as lookouts in this vicinity.

Fortunately though, none of the lookouts have him just yet, though it's only a matter of time before any of them do. Ace's target doesn't sense him approaching nearby, and instead focuses on eating the patch of low-lying vegetation that it's grazing on. It's the perfect opportunity for Ace and his pack to prepare their next meal. So, he seizes the chance! Ace comes bursting out of the trees and rushes straight at his quarry! The Secernosaurus panics, and bolts to where Ace's siblings are waiting… in ambush. They rush out of their hiding spots and catch their prey by surprise and surround it in all different directions to prevent it from escaping while Ace launches the first attack by getting a hold of its neck by clamping his jaws down on it. The hapless prey struggle in vain. Once caught, no animal can escape the 3,392 newtons of pressure from the jaws of the Carnotaurus. His 31 long and slender teeth, like with most Abelisaurids, are more better designed for biting and gripping prey rather than slicing and tearing flesh. The Carnotaurus siblings use their weight to pin the struggling animal, then Ace finally delivers the killing bow. For them, another successful hunt, and they begin to feast. Ace and his siblings are not the only ones to feed on this bounty for long. By now, the smell of fresh blood has drifted across the area. The hungry Noasauruses that have just arrived won't miss this opportunity. But even they respect Ace and his siblings' position as apex predator of this environment. They know they must wait for them to finish their meal before they start theirs. Eventually, the Carnotaurus siblings have eaten their fill and they abandon the carcass for the smaller scavengers to pick over. Ace and his siblings will now be able to probably go for more than either a few days or even a week or so without hunting.

6 months later….

A herd of Aeolosaurus is on the move. They can measure roughly 46 feet long and weigh up to 6 tons. Dinosaurs like them are constantly on the move. This herd is also most likely to be residential to Ace's territory, but for now, having already eaten their fill, they're heading for an area with greener pastures when the dry season hits the area, but will return when the wet season does too. But one… and only one… has been and will be left behind. This male, around the age of 60, has just recently died of that very reason in particular. Many in the herd are likely to be his offspring. But now, at last, sadly, his long life has now come to an end. The herd has been mournfully forced to abandon him and move on with the next generation.

As hours pass, his immense corpse is now a magnet for scavengers, like Noasaurus and Aucasaurus. But biting through a 3 inch thick hide is beyond any of their power. Very frustrating. Just then, to make matters worse, Ace and his siblings arrive, having been drawn here by the scent of the corpse as well. Together, they establish their dominance and the smaller carnivores immediately clear out. Then, they begin to feast on the corpse. With their four centimeter long, slenderized teeth, tearing through an Aeolosaurus' tough skin is not a problem. With all five of them feeding from all sides, no matter which direction any of the smaller predators come from whilst trying to sneak in and steal some meat, they always catch them and drive them off. For instance, one of Ace's two younger sisters catches an Aucasaurus and tackles it before it kicks her in the face, just barely scratching her with its foot claws, then quickly gets back up and retreats. She aggressively hisses and snarls at the two packs of smaller carnivores, backed up by Ace, causing both species to retreat. Ace's species might be able to bully Noasaurus and even Aucasaurus, but a carcass as big as this soon attracts more formidable competition.

Aerotitan sudamericanus, a large mid-sized pterosaur. One of the few creatures that will challenge an adult Carnotaurus. One strike from its 4 and a half foot long beak could easily cost any of the Carnotaurus siblings an eye. Even so, he knows better than to push his luck since he's alone and outnumbered, and it seems that none of them are going to back down. Just then, more squawking is heard. But the arrival of three more Aerotitan… changes the odds. After all four beaks are deadlier than one.

The pterosaurs start to slowly approach their rivals, but as soon as Ace and his pack begin to lunge at them, they start to change tactics, they split up, with one distracting each of the Carnotaurus siblings, then one flies up onto the Aeolosaurus carcass. This gets the Carnotaurus siblings' attention and they approach and then aggressively roar, growl and snarl at him. And the pterosaur, in return, screeches and squawks back at them. Then, they all regroup and start to fly around the Carnotaurus siblings, and then start mobbing and pecking at them.

For Ace and his siblings, this is now too dangerous. With no other choice to win this, they abandon the carcass to the pterosaurs, and one aggressively squawks loudly at them one last time. Despite how tempting they are, some fights just aren't worth the risk. For now, the pterosaurs have, temporarily, won. They quickly eat all they can. But, Ace and his siblings will certainly be back to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. Once their flying rivals either leave, or, with full stomachs, become much more easier to attack.

4 years later…. (Ace's Seventh Year)

For all the region's dinosaurs, it's the mating season. And this is the time of year when the forests and plains across South America at this time become very lively. When it's time to mate, the males of every species must go to great lengths to win the affections of the females. For example, male Austroraptors try to attract females by showing off and displaying the bright colors of their body feathers. But other dinosaurs have different ways of attracting a mate.

In the Saltasaurus herd, a young female heifer is beginning to attract suitors, like this young male who's in his prime. But as you and I know, finding a mate can be a hassle. An older male, who is the leader of the herd, has noticed what's going on and decides to confront the younger bull. As leader of the herd, this male has first dibs when it comes to breeding. He approaches the young male and bellows loudly at him, challenging him to an inevitable duel. The young male turns to face his opponent. To settle the score, the males engage into a shouting match, followed by pushing and shoving, or head-butting. That's usually bloodless.

This kind of behavior for competing for mating rights is seen today in modern Giraffes, and, like them, other species of sauropods do it too. The male Saltasaurs ram one another and smash each other in the side with their strong necks. The younger male gets underneath his rival's chest and pushes him back a bit, but he is not finished. He musters up all his strength and pushes back the older bull as hard as he could, and then rams him hard one last time, causing the older male to shout out in pain.

Eventually, somebody backs down. The young victor has triumphed. The winner, himself, gets bragging rights, and, in this case, of course, the young female. It's not love, it's instinct. Still, from a clumsy giant comes the fragile gift of life. Finally, they mate. And now, the new generation of Saltasaurus is on the way.

But herbivores aren't the only ones who are producing the next generation.

Just a few miles away, in the prehistoric forest, a siren calls. A wandering male Aucasaurus, who is looking for a mate, detects the mating call of a female Aucasaurus, who is looking for one too. And he is captivated. He will search endlessly, non-stop, until he find the producer of the mating call. After approximately six minutes of searching, the male Aucasaurus finds the female who lured him here with her mating call. To a young male in his prime, she's a babe, and... she's in heat. But he knows that winning her over won't be easy. She's bred to be wary. She's gotta be sure he's fit. The male proves this by inflating his throat pouch and making some soothing bellowing sounds to seduce her. And eventually, his persistence, perseverance, determination and the inflating of his throat pouch finally win her heart, and they become mates.

Elsewhere, a pair of male Secernosaurus are competing for the attention of females. Since male Secernosaurus outnumber females, they must go through a force competition to win the affections of a female. Whenever hadrosaurs, like them, compete for mating rights, they bellow and grunt at each other and even peck one another with their duck-like bills. The more vicious ones might even lash their competitors with their tails. And that is what the younger male does to the older male, but he still hangs in there. Even though they're not the only two males fighting for a mate, they are possibly the first of two males going head to head for the start of the season. All the while, some of the herd's females quietly wait to see who out of these two in particular will be chosen as one's partner. Both males still go at it for about a couple more minutes, until, eventually, after one last hard head-butt, in the end, the young impatient male walks away after being defeated by the more experienced and skillful elder, who bellows in victory.

Meanwhile, someone else we know, who is also a predator, is also preparing for mating.

Ace is now seven years old with his younger siblings at the ages of 5 and 6. And as a sign of age, their horns are starting to thicken. Sexual maturity is dependent on each of their size, and, at 8 and a half meters long, Ace is well on the way to being just that. Right now, with the help of his siblings, he is cleaning up a patch of their forest under an area of the forest that is more open. Clearing this patch has taken him a long time. And it needs constant attention if it is to remain tidy. As for what it is, it's a stage on which he can show off to females, since the mating season is here and he is both old enough and ready to reproduce. All is ready, and he announces the fact. His siblings stand by and he lets out a deep rumbling growl as a type of guttural mating call through the forest. His calls are low-pitched, and travel much farther through the dense vegetation than higher-pitched ones would do. And they have not gone unheard. At last, a female arrives. She's as big as Ace, and just as powerful. He starts out with a slow dance, bowing and waving his tail. Now, somehow, he must impress her. And he may only get this one chance. He knows that there's no guarantee that he'll succeed, but Ace is determined. She watches him… carefully. And so do his siblings with hope. He then starts turning around, and swaying. If he is going to impress her, he must do so

in the most extraordinary way. He then rears up, flicks out his arms, each revealing a type of bright blue color on its underside, and begins dancing more energetically. He doesn't have huge antlers, nor a spectacular tail…. but he does have a pair of tiny, apparently useless, arms. And each has a ball-and-socket joint at its base that enables him to move them independently. Doing the same moves at a faster pace while mostly twirling his arms. He combines them all together into an unusual, but incredible, type of mating dance. Eventually, Ace finishes his dance and rears up with his arms extended to their fullest extent. The female sniffs him, and then, eventually…. Success! She gently brushes her neck against his, and then, they nuzzle. Ace's four siblings then step forward and he introduces her to each of them. She gently nuzzles each and every one of them. This is her way of showing that she approves Ace as a mate, and both him and his brothers and sisters as a trustworthy family pack. And so, they all head off together.

3 hours later….

Later that evening, Ace and his new wife mate. And this is the beginning of his life-long contribution to fatherhood. Just like he would with his siblings, they stay together, and within the coming weeks, they will mate frequently and successfully. Eventually, she will soon lay up to 9 eggs. And, hopefully, the next generation of Carnotaurus will soon be well on the way.

2 years later…. (Ace's Ninth Year)

Ace is now nine years old, and his two pairs of brothers and sisters are all at the ages of 7 and 8. His mate, on the other hand, is the same age as him. Right now, they're hunting for another meal. Their best bet is Secernosaurus. They use the same ambush technique, but in a different plan. This time, the females will chase the herd right into the set trap, and the males will ambush. Each of the hunters carefully moves into position. Ace's mate and two younger sisters are at one end, and he and his two younger brothers are at the other. But they always remember never to rush when on the prowl, because of those in the herd that usually take turns posting as lookouts for danger. One false move, and, either, the hunt will be ruined, or they will have to start all over again.

Once they feel the time is right, they spring the trap.

Ace's mate and sisters rush out! Frightening the herd, causing them to stampede! The herd panics, and bolts to where Ace and his brothers are waiting…. in ambush. They select their target, and work together as a pack to bring it down. Ace's mate clamps her jaws down on its hip region, while his brothers and sisters go for its flanks and legs. And Ace clamps his jaws down on its neck.

Together, they combine all their strength and weight to pin down the struggling dinosaur, before Ace delivers the killing blow. This Secernosaurus will keep the family fed for at least a week or so. Until then, they tuck into their well-hard-earned meal. But, as usual, as scavengers, Noasaurus and Aucasaurus always watch from a meter away, waiting and hoping for any leftover scraps. Once the Carnotaurus pack has had its fill, they abandon the corpse and the scavengers soon approach it to claim a share of it, but it turns of that, being much bigger, the Aucasaurs are the first to do so as they bully the Noasaurs off the carcass and force them to wait their turn, leaving them more hungrier than ever.

Then, once they've eaten their fill and move off, The Noasauruses can finally get their share of the carcass. They quickly eat all they can, just in case, on the off-chance, more Aucasaurus or Carnotaurus arrive and force them off of the carcass.

3 years later…. (Ace's Twelfth Year)

3 more years have passed, and two months earlier, each species of dinosaur had laid a foundation for the future. Once again, the Saltasaurus nesting ground is teeming with new life; up to thousands of hatchlings. Without their mothers' protection, they will have to go it alone, staying completely safe and well-hidden in the underbrush of the forest, until they're both big and old enough to join their mothers' herd. And in a glade, not far away, another family with a different sort of life. Only, this time, the parents stick around to look after their young. The Aucasaurus pair has managed to produce three offspring: two females and a male. Aerotitan colonize and nest on cliffs near or along the coastlines to raise their young. The nest of a mated pair of Austroraptors is also full of new life, and so are the Secernosaurus nesting grounds. The young from last year have grown and test out their newfound strength. But in one nest, its clutch of eggs were not so lucky, except for two. The nest's owner is a Noasaurus, she has been committed to making sure that her offspring survive, though, unfortunately, all of her eggs, except two, have either been eaten through or stolen to eat by egg thieves. But, after two months of care and patience, she notices a little movement in the only two that have survived. Finally, they hatch. After everything she had been through, the Noasaurus has managed to bring a valuable pair of new lives into the world.

By age 12, Ace is now fully-grown and weighs 2 tons. His mate is the same as him, and his two pairs of younger brothers and sisters are all at the ages of 10 and 11. Against the odds, Ace and his wife have managed to produce only three offspring. They are each about over a few weeks old, but can already walk and run quite well. Right now, they're feeding on the carcass of a dead Secernosaurus calf, a prize from a recent hunt by their parents. With the support of his younger siblings, Ace has finally managed to reach many of his achievements and achieve many of his goals. And now, with the support of him, his mate, and his siblings, his kids can each take their place among them as a predator. Carnotaurus was the top predator of its environment, and dominated the forests and plains of Argentina for about 70 million years. But by the end of the Cretaceous period, about 65 million years ago, they died out along with all the other Late Cretaceous dinosaurs. So, until then, just like how he and his siblings managed to, if any of Ace's children are to survive, and later thrive, he and his wife and siblings will have to provide every meal for them in any way they can and also teach them everything they need to know for when they're ready, until they're old enough to join them in the hunt and, then, take care of themselves. That's how they'll be able to become one of the most fearsome predators that has ever existed, in these forests and plains, of our Prehistoric Planet.

(The End)

Next time on Dinosaur Life, we will follow the young life of a male Pyroraptor named Razor as he battles for survival in a land of giants.


Author's Note:

"To discover the science behind the stories, go now to the Dinosaur Life show page."

Information from: Dinosaur Planet (2003) and Prehistoric Planet (2022 - 2023)

Inspiration from: Dinosaur Media and Others