Synopsis: "In this story, it'll be about a female Mapusaurus named Maple, as she grows from a hatchling into a fearsome predator."

Huincul Formation/Argentina

95 million years ago/Somewhere between the Cenomanian and Turonian stages of the Late Cretaceous

Somewhere on the edge of Cretaceous forest, in a nest made of earth and plants, is a clutch of eggs. It is currently the wet season, and there are signs of life. Inside one egg, a tiny little creature is struggling to break out of her egg chamber, using the tip of her snout to push through the outer shell. She manages to finally make her way out of her egg chamber and stumbles into the nest. As for what species she is, she has two legs with three toes on each foot, a long tail, two long arms with three-fingered hands with sharp claws, and a pair of huge jaws filled with blade-sharp teeth. Not to mention sharp vision, excellent hearing, and an acute sense of smell. This is a baby Mapusaurus roseae, a recently-discovered killer on the prehistoric block. Her name shall be Maple, and she will be the one who will lead us throughout her forest home in 95 million year old Argentina.

For right now, she watches as her brothers and sisters hatch from out of their eggs. They all begin to call out together, as she stumbles out of the nest to explore her brave new world. Just then, a huge, fully-grown female Mapusaurus approaches the nest. They are all at her mercy. Fortunately though, this is their mother. Normally, she would have a mate with her, which would be their father, to welcome them to the world, but sometime ago, after their eggs were laid, he was killed during a recent hunt. So, now, she is all there is to take care of them, until they're old enough to take care of themselves. Maple is awestruck by the size of her mother, who welcomes her to the world by nuzzling her, along with a warming shine of sunlight, before doing the same to her siblings. For now, she can rely on her mother's protection, but within weeks, she will have to learn to stand on her own two feet. In about a few short years, she could become a gigantic predator like her mother, but the odds on her surviving that long, right now, are low.

4 hours later….

Maple and her 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 Overoraptor chimentoi watch the brood, waiting for their chance. The mother Mapusaurus is 70 times their size, so they will not venture too close while she are present. However, the smell of all these new hatchlings will soon attract other larger predators. So eventually, the mother decides that it is time to lead her unruly brood away.

1 week later….

The mother Mapusaurus has found a safe new home for her offspring, and she can now enjoy a well-deserved rest. All the while, Maple and her siblings busy and entertain themselves with play-fighting, practicing their hunting skills and perfecting them for adulthood, so that they can acquire everything they will need for their own survival. Through great maternal care, the mother Mapusaurus must teach and protect her young, until they're old enough to join her in the hunt, and, eventually, fend for themselves.

3 days later...

While their mother is off hunting, Maple and her siblings wait patiently back at the nest as they continue play-fighting amongst themselves. The mother has left a series of scent marks, the outline boundaries for her young to stay with it, and for all other dinosaurs to keep out. Most dinosaurs are repelled by this pungent scent and retreat. Two of Maple's siblings play tug-o-war with a twig, while the rest continue wrestling each other. Meanwhile, she stops what she's doing and walks up to the cliff edge of their nest and looks out over the entire landscape that she will one day dominate. She doesn't know it just yet, but Maple is looking at the possible future that she will have of finding her place... in a great big world, that she will one day rule among the other species of dinosaurs who live here as well. Just then, one of her sisters notices a lizard. The lizard notices her and flees, causing her to chase after it. It escapes into the underbrush, and halts her pursuit of it, as she knows to stay within the saftey of the scent mark range of their nest, but even so, they always know to hide in the dense underbrush that surrounds their nest at the very moment they either sense or hear danger coming. And at that very moment, they hear the sounds of footsteps and twigs snapping and immediately make a run for the underbrush before hunkering down and going dead still and silent. As they hear it approach, they can only, at first, get a glimpse of what it is. It is a roving male Anoiraptor libertatem, a larger, megaraptoran, relative of Overoraptor, that is approaching their home. He will make quick work of Maple and her siblings if he finds them. But fortunately for them, as he approaches the nest, he picks up the scent marks left by the mother and is immediately put off and repelled by them, and so, he walks off. Once they are sure he is gone, they come out from the underbrush, and continue their playful sparring.

Eventually, they hear and sense their mother approaching, and hope that she has brought back food with her. She arrives back at the nest with the carcass of a dead Gasparinisaura cincosaltensis in her jaws. She drops it to the ground in front of her young, and they all begin to feed voraciously from it, as she watches them do so.

5 months later….

5 months have passed, and Maple and her siblings have grown to 5 meters in length. They are each now about less than half the size of their mother, and are ready to start their first hunting lessons. Around this part of the area, there are plenty of opportunities. Nearby a small flock of Gasparinisaura is grazing on low-lying plants and also digging for roots to eat too. The family begins to stalk them from nearby. Fortunately though for them, they don't sense the danger, and, instead, focus their attention on feeding on the fresh vegetation. But no one seems willing to make the first move, even the mother. Or, at least, almost no one. In her mother's and siblings' stead, being as both the eldest and most confident of which, Maple dares to take on the challenge of the hunt today. She begins to move slowly towards them trying to be as quiet as she possibly can, with the exception of the sounds of her footsteps and hissing of her breath. Her mother and siblings watch her carefully. These creatures are small, but they're not easy to take down. Maple will likely fail, unless she finds their weak point and quickly overpowers one.

She gets as close as he possibly can, still unnoticed, then, once she feels that she is within striking distance, she breaks cover, roaring fiercely, and springs into action! The Gasparinisaura scatter, but Maple quickly chooses her target, and puts on an incredible burst of speed before quickly grabbing it by its weak point, having already found it. She shakes and crushes it to death with tremendous force, killing it in an instant, before throwing it to the ground. For Maple, this is her first successful hunt. She roars in victory.

Her mother and siblings approach her and proudly nuzzle her to offer their congratulations. She has proven herself to be a successful, effective hunter. Tomorrow, she will learn how to be a successful pack hunter, hunting with her mother and siblings. It will still be another few more months before Maple and his siblings will be able to live on their own. Some will live alone, while others, who have a strong bond with each other, will live with each other for survival.

3 years later…. (Maple's Third Year)

Maple now hunts alone with three of her siblings. Two of her brothers and only one of her sisters. The rest of her siblings have parted ways with her, and they have all parted ways with their mother and are thriving. Right now at the moment, they are currently on the hunt. Nearby, they notice a mother Overoraptor attending her nest mound which could prove somehow or somewhat promising. But the small Mapusaurus and her siblings are about to find out that they are no match for an overprotective mother. The Overoraptor kicks up dust and hisses, growls and snarls at them, before screeching very loudly at them. Knowing that she's no easy mark, they walk off to find something else that could prove more promising.

Nearby, a flock of Gasparinisaura offers Maple and her pack one more chance. They seize the moment and charge straight at them, but the Gasparinisaura scatter the minute they notice them, causing them to fail, and roar in frustration. They have all forgotten that they are ambush predators. They have also ended up on the edge of the forest, and decide to venture on out into the open.

2 hours later...

Maple and her brothers and sister have been out on the open plains bordered by the forest for up to about 2 hours now, and they are about to hit a stroke of luck when they notice a possible chance of a meal. A herd of dinosaurs that have been on the move and migrating for weeks on end is entering their territory, which is made up mostly of forests, open plains, rivers, lakes and mountains. Chakisaurus nekul, a newly-discovered species of mid-sized, herbivorous, ornithopod dinosaur that lives and travels in herds like modern-day guanacos in Patagonia, Argentina. In fact, its very name means "elder guanaco lizard". They have been drawn here by the lush growth of vegetation that grows here in Maple's territory, and will stay here for as long as the wet season lasts. Maple and her siblings know that they could definitely provide an opportunity for another meal. They'll follow the herd to a part of the borderline where plains and forests meet, where there is a large freshwater lake that is the local watering hole, and, there is 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 edge, and there, watching them from within the trees, is Maple and her siblings. They lock onto their chosen target; an individual that has wandered away from the rest of the herd. As the alpha female of her sibling pack, Maple will start off the hunt alone, and then give her younger brothers and sister the special signal by her command to join in and help her out with the rest. Whenever she is on the prowl, Maple knows not to rush. She knows that her opponents usually take turns posting as lookouts in this vicinity. Fortunately though, none of the lookouts have her just yet, though it's only a matter of time before any of them do. Maple's target doesn't sense her approaching nearby, and instead focuses on eating the patch of low-lying vegetation that it's grazing on. It's an excellent opportunity for Maple and her pack to catch their next meal. So, she seizes it and comes bursting out of the trees and rushes straight at her quarry! By the time the Chakisaurus notices her, it's too late. Maple latches onto its neck with her jaws and teeth and grasps and holds onto it with her arms and hand claws. Once she gives them the signal, her siblings also come running out of the trees and join the attack. The hapless prey struggle in vain. Once caught, no dinosaur can escape the 7,000 pounds of pressure from the jaws of the Mapusaurus. Her long, blade-like teeth are like knives stabbing into flesh. One of Maple's brothers clamps his jaws down on the Chakisaurus' hip region while the other one bites down on its tail and her sister grabs its left arm with her jaws. The Mapusaurus siblings use their weight to pin the struggling dinosaur as they wrestle it to the ground, and then Maple finally make the killing bow. They have perfected another kill, and begin to feed on the carcass. By now, the scent of blood has wafted across the plains. The hungry Overoraptors that have just arrived, won't miss this opportunity. And they're not alone, as they are not the only ones that've been attracted here by this plentiful bounty. Huinculsaurus montesi, a type of noasaurid dinosaur, probably 3 meters long, and named after the Huincul Formation itself. They, too, have been attracted here by an irresistible opportunity for food. As scavengers, these smaller carnivores, who live and hunt in packs, never pass up an opportunity to a feast. But even they respect Maple and her siblings' position as the apex predator of this environment. They know they must wait for them to finish their meal before they start any of theirs. Eventually, the Mapusaurus siblings have eaten their fill and they abandon the carcass for the smaller scavengers to pick over. Maple and her siblings will now be able to go for more than a week or so without hunting. Maple and her siblings have been having a lucky day. Likewise for the Overoraptors and Huinculsauruses, who can all now devour this bounty together in peace.

4 months later...

Somewhere in the midst of a huge nesting site of hundreds of nests full of eggs, inside one, a baby dinosaur is stirring and struggling to break free from it, until, finally, it hatches. The start of a new life. But on these plains, danger is never far away. Just then, a giant pterosaur appears and lands in front of the nest. This is Lacusovagus magnificens, a type of large azhdarchoid chaoyangopterid pterosaur, attracted to the easy prey of a nest site. It then approaches and attacks the hatchling, but just before it can kill it, a large, mid-sized theropod charges at it and scares it away, before turning its attention towards the defenseless hatchling.

Throughout the late 1990s, extraordinary dinosaurs were uncovered in Argentina. At one location, a nest site was found, so full of dinosaur eggs that they could barely avoid crushing them underfoot. Some eggs even contained exquisitely preserved dinosaur embryos. Then, in 1999, at the same nest site, a complete adult dinosaur skeleton was uncovered. It appeared they'd found the parent.

The theropod went up to the nest, and investigated the hatchling before it then picked it up and held it for a little bit before suddenly whipping it down to the ground, killing it instantly, and then crunching the dead hatchling in its' jaws before swallowing it down.

But first impressions can be deceptive. This isn't the parent. This is a Skorpiovenator bustingorryi, a predator. The skeleton found at the nest site was almost certainly found to be a nest raider, preying on the hatchlings. The Skorpiovenator then proceeds to gulp down another, and kill and pick up a third before it is then confronted by, and finds itself cowering beneath, a huge, giant sauropod dinosaur. The hatchlings' real parent, and the owner of the enormous vertebra, is Argentinosaurus huinculensis. Both the biggest dinosaur and largest sauropod that has ever walked the Earth! A plant-eating giant that dwarfs everything around it. Intimidated at the sight of such a giant behemoth, the Skorpiovenator flees with its catch. From the bones that were found, we've calculated that Argentinosaurus was a colossal 35 meters long, and weighed as much as 75 tons. Soon, there's, in fact, not just one Argentinosaurus here, but a whole herd of them as well. And most of which are females, and they've come here for one particular reason. When born, the hatchlings themselves weigh a paltry 5kg and need to fend for themselves immediately. Some of the hatchling Argentinosaurus are amazed and awestruck by the size of their massive elders, realizing that they will one day become each of these giants themselves.

From studying the embryos, and looking at the bones of the adults,we know that the growth of these giants was phenomenal. Over 40 years, they grow from 5kg to an astonishing 75,0ookg. At their peak, it's been calculated they grow up to 40kg every day. The dinosaur embryos are so well preserved we can see they already have their teeth, in preparation for a lifetime of eating. And that is exactly what these hatchlings are already starting to do. While they feed on the ferns and bushes, the adults feed on the forest trees around them. But becoming a giant takes more than simply turning tons of food into muscle. It's about the success and survival of a species over millions of years. One way to increase the chances of survival is by having lots of offspring, and passing your genes on to them. And the best way to do that is by laying eggs. Lots of them. And that is exactly the particular reason why the females of this particular herd are here; to lay their eggs in nests and produce the next generation. The nest site in Patagonia stretches for an astonishing 15km and contains tens of thousands of eggs. And the site was used continuously for hundreds of thousands of years.

Just then, a whole pack of Skorpiovenators arrive to take advantage of the bountiful Argentinosaurus hatchling buffet and make the most of it as they can as possible. For killers like Skorpiovenator, the nest site provides a feast. But, with thousands of hatchlings, they have little impact on the success of the species. And pose no threat to the adults. And this just goes to show as one of them drives three Skorpiovenators away with its tail. But, wherever we find giant plant-eaters... there is always a giant killer lurking nearby. Soon, the herd of adults then eventually move on, but watching them from a distance nearby is Maple and her pack of siblings. They've been watching this herd for up to about 4 hours now, and they have decided that they will some time soon risk life and limb to hunt them.

And it appeared that Argentinosaurus may have met its match. And will be about to some time soon.

2 years later…. (Maple's Fifth Year)

At age 5, Maple has now grown into a teenager, while her brothers and sister are each at the ages of 3 and 4. And although they are each now 10 meters long, they're still not yet fully grown. Right now, they are currently on the hunt.

At this time of year, in Spring, large herds of herbivores, including Argentinosaurus, Chakisaurus, and Gasparinisaura, gather to feed on the new plant growth of these vast open plains along the edge of the forest that create excellent feeding grounds for them. But where there are large numbers of plant eaters…. there are great hunters, or meat eaters. Maple and her siblings watch from close by, observing the herds and probing for any opportunities. Like most predators, their kind usually ambush their prey. But with so many watching eyes, they know that this is not the right time to attack. They'll wait for nightfall, and the cover of darkness, which will give them an advantage over their prey.

Several hours later….

As darkness falls, some of the herds that had been grazing and browsing out in the open retreat into the forest for shelter. Now, the odds switch in favor of the predators, like Maple and her siblings, who are resting nearby. Maple wakes up and slowly and silently gets to her feet. All predatory theropod dinosaurs like them have relatively much larger eyes than their prey, which gives them superb low-light vision, but only somewhat better than that of their prey. Maple gently nudges her sister, waking her up. Her sister yawns and gets to her feet. Maple and her sister then nuzzle their brothers, who also wake up and get to their feet. Soon, they're on the prowl, once again. And like all their cousins and relatives, they're able to move through the forest in near-silence, thanks to cushioned pads on their feet.

They come upon a group of Chakisaurus grazing in the forest. As we know, they lack armor, but they're less than 1 half the size of Mapusaurus, and twice as fast. To catch one in these types of conditions needs cunning. Each of the sibling hunters carefully moves into position. Then, one of them, Maple, deliberately makes a noise. The Chakisaurus are officially alarmed. They now know that hunters are close, but they don't know exactly where they are out there in the darkness. Time to spring the trap.

Both of Maple's brothers rush out! They chase the Chakisaurs straight to where they want them! The herd panics, and bolts to where Maple and her sister are waiting…. in ambush. They burst out of hiding and Maple gets a hold of one by the neck. Then, they all work together to knock over their prey and pin it down so they can make the final killing blow. The rest of the herd continues running for their lives without looking back.

A perfectly executed plan. Now, another meal has been provided for Maple and her siblings. She grabs it in her jaws by the base of its neck and she and her brothers and sister take their kill back to their lair, where they can eat it in safety and peace.

2 years later…. (Maple's Seventh Year)

2 years have passed, and the wet season has once again returned to Maple's territory and hunting grounds. Across the great forests and plains of Argentina, giant sauropods roamed far and wide. This herd of Argentinosaurus are now on the move, traveling across a swamp covered with volcanic ash. They are joined by a flock of Gasparinisaura. This herd is most likely to be residential to Maple's territory. Dinosaurs their size are constantly on the move. Having eaten their fill, they head for greener pastures. Right now, they are currently trekking across a volcanic ash-covered swamp. It's a dangerous place to be if you're living in the shadows. These giants are so massive, they've turned the sand beneath their feet into quicksand, creating death traps with every step. As some of the Gasparinisaura fell into the giant quicksand-filled footprints and sank to their deaths.

It's a danger that was graphically revealed in 2010, when an astonishing set of footprints were unearthed. Footprints that contained a deadly secret. After months of painstaking examination, some of the fossil footprints were found to contain bones of other animals. One exposed the bodies of two mammals, ten small dinosaurs, two crocodiles and a turtle. In total, 18 animals were buried within a single step. But becoming this big is not easy. It requires some serious eating. As mentioned before, Argentinosaurus weighed around 75 tons. A 6-ton African Elephant eats for 18 hours a day to keep going. Argentinosaurus weighs more than ten times as much. So how did they get enough food?

The answer is simple, as the herd and their travel companions have finally reached their destination and start grazing and browsing. They turned themselves into the most efficient eating machines the world has ever known. Everything about them is designed to get the most food in and the most calories out, with the least effort. Their long necks give them access to more food without moving. But the way they eat is the crucial bit. Like most sauropods, these giants don't waste time chewing. They rip and gulp down leaves whole, which are digested by bacteria in its massive gut. And also grinded up by stones in their stomachs that they have swallowed also, called gastroliths. Not chewing means it doesn't need a big, heavy head with big teeth and muscular jaws, which also means its neck can grow so long, able to reach food no other animal can reach. Being so big means you're off the menu for most predators. But here, there's a well-known killer in a completely different league.

Nearby, Maple, who is now 7 years old, is watching the herd. Then, she starts to slowly approach it. The herd is aware of her presence and warily watches her as she makes her way through, which they allow her to do, hoping to pick out a potential victim. On her own, even she is not a match for a fully grown Argentinosaurus. But as you and I know, this giant killer herself is not alone. Maple's brothers and sister watch the herd from the sidelines as she rejoins them.

For years, it was thought that an adult Argentinosaurus would be too big for any predator to tackle. But in 2006, a new discovery suddenly made even the biggest of dinosaurs a lot more vulnerable. As they dug into the Argentinean dirt, they didn't just find one predator buried here. The skeletons of at least seven Mapusaurus of different ages and sizes were found together. It suggested that this was a group.

A giant killer that appears to hunt in gangs. Like pretty much all kinds of predatory dinosaurs. And more than capable of taking on the very biggest dinosaurs. One of the Argentinosaurus notices Maple's entire pack as they begin to approach and then bellows out a warning call, alerting the whole herd to the presence of danger. Realizing now that they are under attack, the herd immediately becomes nervous. And as the predators approach, panic begins to quickly spread. Not even a fully grown Argentinosaurus is safe from this group. The best defense is their sheer size. Just then, as the herd begins to retreat, one of the Argentinosaurus defends it by rearing up onto its hind legs and then crashing back down onto its front legs and then screeches loudly at two of Maple's siblings as they then walk aside, knowing not to mess with him. As the herd retreats, because of how desperately slow they are, the pack easily keep pace with them, despite being pretty fast runners. They selected their victim, a young, though experienced, individual, and while two of them distract it, one of them, Maple, comes up from behind and attacks and severely wounds it by ripping a large chunk of flesh out of it, causing it to bellow and screech loudly in pain. Mapusaurus' teeth are perfectly designed, like blades, to slice off chunks of flesh. Just then, the rest of the pack attack as well. With prey so large, a single bite isn't always fatal. It appears Mapusaurus could just snack, feeding from its victim without actually killing it. The victim surviving to provide more food at a later date. Maple soon begins to feed on the large chunk of flesh she got, and her younger sister and the older one of her two younger brothers approach her, also wanting to feed on the flesh chunk as well. But Maple growls at them, as she claims it for herself. The herd continues to flee, but one of them now carries a severe but, luckily, non-fatal wound.

But even in a group, these giant killers are never far away from danger. While she and the rest of the pack are safe, Maple's other younger brother, the younger of the two males, is still with the herd and starts to get careless and reckless and starts to lose caution as he makes the giant sauropods even more antsy. Attacking an animal more than ten times your weight carries grave risks. Just then, finally having had enough of him being anywhere even near him, an agitated Argentinosaurus rears up and irately crushes him under its weight with its two elephant-like front feet, instantly killing him.

One of Maple's brothers has been killed. The giant herbivore has killed the pack's youngest member. It is a harsh and bitter blow for them. And for Maple, such a deep, mournful, painful loss. They watch as the herd continues on, though they do know that one of them is wounded because of them. In the blink of an eye, the Argentinosaurus herd has changed everything for the pack. Now there's only one male left of the pack, and that means that Maple now has only two siblings and only one brother left.

2 weeks later...

A Lacusovagus flies across the landscape, occasionally gliding on thermals, in search of an easy meal. It soon finds one, along with a flock of its kind as they begin to circle it like vultures: an injured Argentinosaurus, likely the one from the Mapusaurus attack, 2 weeks ago, lying on its side, dying of blood loss. This Argentinosaurus, wounded by a gang of Mapusaurs, which would most certainly be Maple's gang, has succumbed to its wounds. Many Skorpiovenators have come and gathered to feed on the Argentinosaurus once it finally dies. And they're not alone. Out on the plain, other keen-eyed predators are quick to spot a stricken animal. Other, smaller, carnivores are here for the same exact reason as well. Many Overoraptors, Huinculsaurus and Anoiraptors gather alongside the Skorpiovenators for the feast and wait patiently until the wounded Argentinosaurus finally dies. And now, the pterosaurs can come down, and also claim a share of the carcass, on which the predators, or in this case, "scavengers", begin to feed.

It's a prize worth waiting for. And attracts carnivores from miles around.

As hours pass, Maple and her two surviving siblings and some other Mapusaurus arrive to eat, scaring away the smaller carnivores in the process. The Skorpiovenators, Anoiraptors, Huinculsaurus and Overoraptors still tried to come and grab a bite, but the Mapusaurus would scare them off every time. Mapusaurus are not only hunters. Like virtually every carnivore today, scavenged prey plays a huge part in their diet. As time goes by, by day, the Mapusaurus feed on the carcass, but when night falls, the smaller predators would return and seize the chance to feed without getting driven off. And when the sun rises again, the Mapusaurus would once again return to feed on the carcass again since they know where it can be found. We know enough about the biology of giant sauropods to estimate of this 70-ton animal. 11 tons is bone, 3 and a half tons blood, 4 tons is hide and skin, 15 tons fat and 39 tons is meat! Enough to feed a whole ecosystem for days!

Eventually, after a few days, all that was left of the giant dinosaur were the bones of its colossal skeleton. A Lacusovagus picks off the last bit of remnants off of the skeleton before flying off. Maple and her siblings have arrived for more food, but they find out that there is nothing left for them to eat, so they move on to search for food elsewhere.

4 years later…. (Maple's Eleventh Year)

Four more years have passed, and for all the region's dinosaurs, it is a very special time of year; it is the mating season, and there are many signs that love is already in the air. This is the time of year when the forests and plains and prairies become very lively. When it's time to mate, each male of every species must do whatever it takes to win the affections of the females.

But, as you and I know, finding a mate isn't always that simple.

In the Argentinosaurus herd, males start to display by rocking back on their tails and standing on their hind legs to impress potential mates, but soon enough, when too many males start doing it, occasionally, fights break out. With creatures this size, the forces at work during these confrontations are colossal. Enough to shatter ribs and shake the ground. The males engage in shouting matches, followed by necking, like modern Giraffes, pushing and shoving. That's usually bloodless.

And in the Chakisaurus herd, Since male Chakisaurus outnumber females, they must go through a fierce competition to win the affections of a female. They bellow and grunt at each other and even peck one another with their beaks and snouts. The more vicious ones might even lash their competitors with their tails.

Those males of both species who will be victorious in the end will win the right to mate.

Meanwhile, Maple is also prepared for the mating season. At age 11, she has now grown into a young adult and has reached sexual maturity. For her and her brother and sister, who are now at ages 9 and 10, this season signals the chance for them to create and raise a family of their very own. She proceeds to use a mating call to attract a wandering male to her territory. She may have to call like this for quite some time until a response from a male is returned.

After what seemed like hours of calling, Maple's mating call has continued to echo through the forests and across the plains. And it has been heard. A male Mapusaurus who has brought down a young teenaged Chakisaurus has heard her calls loud and clear. And so, he continues responding to her calls by returning them, before picking up his gift for Maple in his jaws and continuing on his way to her lair.

Eventually, at last, he arrives at Maple's lair. He is about the same age as Maple and just as large. She seems interested, but he can sense, and knows, that she is wary. So, a little persuasion might have to be necessary. He must first prove to Maple that, just like her, he has what it takes when it comes to producing the next generation. In addition to being a prize from a recent hunt and a gift to appease her, the dead teenaged Chakisaurus also suggests that he is a good hunter, and carrying it all the way here has proved that he's a strong male. Then, he begins to perform a type of courtship mating dance. Maple watches him carefully. Her brother and sister do the same from the sideline. He slowly bobs his head up and down and produces a deep romping sound, before bowing down and raising his tail up and swaying from side to side. Then, he raises his head up all the way and also makes a soothing vibrating with his throat. His mesmerizing movement and deep romping calls seem to be eliciting the right response, thus impressing Maple. And she mirrors his courtship dance. But the ultimate sign of trust is exposing his neck. At last, Maple shows him that she accepts him as a mate by gently rubbing his face with hers. And they both make a type of deep low rumbling sound as they nuzzle each other. They form their relationship, and then, the male places his gift for Maple at her feet and then gives her some space. Maple feeds from it, as she has accepted him for who and what he is. Even so, until she finishes eating the teenaged Chakisaurus, the male still keeps his distance.

Soon enough, some time later, Maple and her new husband will eventually mate. And just like hers before her, Maple will eventually become a mother. And her new mate will eventually become a father. In the not-too distant future, she will soon lay up to about 14 eggs that, in about 2 months after that, will hatch into a whole new generation of Mapusaurus.

5 years later…. (Maple's Sixteenth Year)

Two months ago, each species of dinosaur laid a foundation for the future. And so, as a result, lots of the eggs that have been laid have hatched. The Argentinosaurus nesting ground is once again teeming with new life; up to thousands more of hatchlings. Just like those that came before them, without their mothers' protection, they will have to go it alone and immediately fend for themselves, 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. The Gasparinisaura nesting grounds are also full of new life. As are the nesting grounds of Chakisaurus. The young from last year have grown, and test out their newfound strength. Lacusovagus nest and raise their young in colonies in coastal inland areas close to the sea. But in one nest, its clutch of eggs were not so lucky, except for one. The nest's owner is an Overoraptor, she has been committed to making sure that her offspring survive, though, unfortunately, all of her eggs, except one, 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 one that has survived. Finally, it hatches. After everything she had been through, the Overoraptor has managed to bring a valuable new life into the world.

In Maple's territory, there are also signs of new life. By age 16, Maple is now fully grown and weighs 4 tons. Her mate is the same as her. and her younger brother and sister are at the ages of 14 and 15. Against the odds, Maple and her mate have managed to produce five offspring. They're all about seven weeks old, and can already move around quite well. Maple's brother and sister are now the proud aunt and uncle of her children, and it will be their job to guard and protect them whenever Maple and her mate are off hunting.

Mapusaurus was one of the undisputed top predators of South America, and dominated its forests and plains for 95 million years. But by about 93, it eventually became extinct. And the reason for that is simple; Mapusaurus was reliant on the giant sauropods in life and death. When the Argentinosaurus disappeared from South America 93 million years ago, so did Mapusaurus. In fact, no matter what time period, wherever giant plant-eaters have been discovered, it appears a giant predator lived alongside them. From North America, to Europe, to Asia, to Africa, to South America, we see the same predator-prey relationship repeated. They complete a global picture, a pattern that is repeated across the world. In Asia, we find Mamenchisaurus and Sinraptor. In Europe, Ornithopsis and Neovenator. In North America, Diplodocus and Allosaurus, as well as Sauroposeidon and Acrocanthosaurus. And in Africa, Paralititan and Carcharodontosaurus. For every giant plant-eater, we find a giant predator living side by side. And it's in South America, where we have two of the biggest of all; Argentinosaurus and Mapusaurus. Two giants whose fates appear to be inextricably linked. It appears that all of these extinctions were linked, and this story is repeated time and again. When the giant sauropods died out, the giant predators lost their main food supply, and they, too, were doomed.

So, until that happens, for now at least, Maple and her family will protect and raise their young, and also teach them how to hunt, until they're old enough to hunt with them and, eventually, live by themselves. And also, become one of the most fearsome and incredible giant predators that has ever existed on our Prehistoric Planet.

(The End)

Next on Dinosaur Life, we will talk about a female Alioramus named Ally, a cousin of Zion, and we will witness her life as she grows up.

Author's Note:

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

Information from: Planet Dinosaur (2011)

Inspiration from: Dinosaur Media and Others