Showing results for
The only place non-avian dinosaurs didn't seem to live was in the ocean as all major marine reptiles weren't dinosaurs but some other archosaur or Mozasaurs which are related to modern day monitor lizards. Dinosaurs have been discovered on every single continent including Antarctica, in every type of biome from desert to forest to steppe to river deltas. Some of the best specimens have come from river watersheds such as the hell creek formation or Morrison because the conditions on river banks is the best for preserving large body animals but plenty of other formations exist away from river banks. EDIT: clarifications. So I've seen a lot of the same comments so I'll leave a reply here to these questions. Antarctica at the time of the dinosaurs (the Mesozoic) would not have been covered in ice, it also would not have been on the south pole, rather closer to modern day South Africa. That being said, dinosaurs have been discovered in what would have been their Arctic Circle where it would have snowed regularly, experienced very cold temperatures in the winter and had 1-3 months of no sun. Dinosaurs that lived in this region permanently had special adaptations such as Truodonts in this region being much bigger than their southern cousins while a type of Tyrannosaurus (not THE T. Rex but a relative) had a smaller body. It's also worth mentioning that dinosaurs were not cold blooded rather a sort of in between called Mezotherm. To what extent depends heavily on the dinosaur. Not all ancient reptiles that lived in the Mesozoic was a dinosaur and in short the different is taxonomy, the relationships between species. All animals classified as dinosaurs have a distinct common ancestor that separates them from all other reptiles. One interesting thing is the fact that all dinosaurs, from triceratops to deinococcus to modern barn owls have a very specific pelvis that is unlike any other reptile. Plesiosaurs, Ichthyasaurs, Mozasaurs, and Ptarosaurs are not dinosaurs as they do not share the same ancestor as all dinosaurs, and in the case of the aquatic reptiles, split off from dinosaurs long before dinosaurs themselves became a distinct Clade. Answer from areigon on reddit.com
🌐
USGS
usgs.gov › faqs › where-did-dinosaurs-live
Where did dinosaurs live? | U.S. Geological Survey
Dinosaurs lived on all of the continents. At the beginning of the age of dinosaurs (during the Triassic Period, about 230 million years ago), the continents were arranged together as a single supercontinent called Pangea.
Top answer
1 of 8
3589
The only place non-avian dinosaurs didn't seem to live was in the ocean as all major marine reptiles weren't dinosaurs but some other archosaur or Mozasaurs which are related to modern day monitor lizards. Dinosaurs have been discovered on every single continent including Antarctica, in every type of biome from desert to forest to steppe to river deltas. Some of the best specimens have come from river watersheds such as the hell creek formation or Morrison because the conditions on river banks is the best for preserving large body animals but plenty of other formations exist away from river banks. EDIT: clarifications. So I've seen a lot of the same comments so I'll leave a reply here to these questions. Antarctica at the time of the dinosaurs (the Mesozoic) would not have been covered in ice, it also would not have been on the south pole, rather closer to modern day South Africa. That being said, dinosaurs have been discovered in what would have been their Arctic Circle where it would have snowed regularly, experienced very cold temperatures in the winter and had 1-3 months of no sun. Dinosaurs that lived in this region permanently had special adaptations such as Truodonts in this region being much bigger than their southern cousins while a type of Tyrannosaurus (not THE T. Rex but a relative) had a smaller body. It's also worth mentioning that dinosaurs were not cold blooded rather a sort of in between called Mezotherm. To what extent depends heavily on the dinosaur. Not all ancient reptiles that lived in the Mesozoic was a dinosaur and in short the different is taxonomy, the relationships between species. All animals classified as dinosaurs have a distinct common ancestor that separates them from all other reptiles. One interesting thing is the fact that all dinosaurs, from triceratops to deinococcus to modern barn owls have a very specific pelvis that is unlike any other reptile. Plesiosaurs, Ichthyasaurs, Mozasaurs, and Ptarosaurs are not dinosaurs as they do not share the same ancestor as all dinosaurs, and in the case of the aquatic reptiles, split off from dinosaurs long before dinosaurs themselves became a distinct Clade.
2 of 8
468
I highly recommend PBS Eons YouTube channel. They have some amazing videos on the lives and habitats of dinosaurs. Apparently they even lived in the Arctic circle. (Arctic circle was a much different place back then, but it still lacked sunlight for months at a time and was extremely cold)
🌐
Natural History Museum
nhm.ac.uk › discover › where-did-dinosaurs-come-from.html
Where did dinosaurs come from? | Natural History Museum
But despite their long evolutionary ... evolve, and what did the first ones look like? The earliest definitive dinosaur is not one animal but an entire ecosystem containing a few different species. There's no universally accepted dinosaur species that lived earlier in ...
Discussions

Did dinosaurs roam the entire planet or did they live in certain parts? And if so, where did they predominantly live and why?
The only place non-avian dinosaurs didn't seem to live was in the ocean as all major marine reptiles weren't dinosaurs but some other archosaur or Mozasaurs which are related to modern day monitor lizards. Dinosaurs have been discovered on every single continent including Antarctica, in every type of biome from desert to forest to steppe to river deltas. Some of the best specimens have come from river watersheds such as the hell creek formation or Morrison because the conditions on river banks is the best for preserving large body animals but plenty of other formations exist away from river banks. EDIT: clarifications. So I've seen a lot of the same comments so I'll leave a reply here to these questions. Antarctica at the time of the dinosaurs (the Mesozoic) would not have been covered in ice, it also would not have been on the south pole, rather closer to modern day South Africa. That being said, dinosaurs have been discovered in what would have been their Arctic Circle where it would have snowed regularly, experienced very cold temperatures in the winter and had 1-3 months of no sun. Dinosaurs that lived in this region permanently had special adaptations such as Truodonts in this region being much bigger than their southern cousins while a type of Tyrannosaurus (not THE T. Rex but a relative) had a smaller body. It's also worth mentioning that dinosaurs were not cold blooded rather a sort of in between called Mezotherm. To what extent depends heavily on the dinosaur. Not all ancient reptiles that lived in the Mesozoic was a dinosaur and in short the different is taxonomy, the relationships between species. All animals classified as dinosaurs have a distinct common ancestor that separates them from all other reptiles. One interesting thing is the fact that all dinosaurs, from triceratops to deinococcus to modern barn owls have a very specific pelvis that is unlike any other reptile. Plesiosaurs, Ichthyasaurs, Mozasaurs, and Ptarosaurs are not dinosaurs as they do not share the same ancestor as all dinosaurs, and in the case of the aquatic reptiles, split off from dinosaurs long before dinosaurs themselves became a distinct Clade. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/askscience
528
4813
August 15, 2021
Where did dinosaurs live?
The continents were all still connected as Pangaea at the start of the Mesozoic era when the first dinosaurs appeared, but began to break up during the Jurassic and continued drifting farther apart into the Cretaceous. This website has a great series of interactive maps from different time periods you can look at. It's been suggested that the first dinosaurs appeared in what is now South America ( Nesbitt et al. 2009 ), but they quickly spread to all continents including Antarctica, from which we have several fossils such as Cryolophosaurus . As you suggest, dinosaur species were typically restricted to certain areas rather than being spread out around the world, especially after Pangaea became more fragmented. However, many species had close relatives that lived in other places, such as the North American Tyrannosaurus and its close relative Tarbosaurus which lived in Asia. Certain regions of the world have become known for certain dinosaur communities that can differ a lot from one place to another too. For example, the Patagonia region of South America was home to many of the largest known dinosaur species during the Cretaceous, including huge sauropods like Argentinosaurus, Puertasaurus, and Dreadnoughtus , as well as some of the biggest theropods like Giganotosaurus . Conversely, the Hațeg region of Romania (which was an island during the Cretaceous) was home to several smaller than usual dinosaurs, such as Magyarosaurus and Telmatosaurus , demonstrating a prehistoric example of island dwarfism ( article , and Grigorescu 2010 source). Finally, Cretaceous Northern Africa is known for having supported an unusual number of large carnivorous species, including Spinosaurus and Carcharodontosaurus , though this reputation may be a bit exaggerated as there seems to have been a correspondingly larger diversity of prey items as well ( Ijouiher 2016 , though still in preprint). More on reddit.com
🌐 r/askscience
12
19
August 3, 2019
If Dinosaurs Were Alive Today, what species would live in your region?

Crows, Robins, Cardinals, Black and Turkey Vultures. Red tailed hawks.

More on reddit.com
🌐 r/Dinosaurs
44
9
January 6, 2022
The world map where the dinosaurs lived before and after the time lapse
One of the most baffling decisions this franchise has made, I have no idea what the impetus was to hamstring their own future movie plot potential. I’m sure if they change their mind they’ll just retcon it without a second thought though. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/JurassicPark
168
477
July 14, 2025
The only place non-avian dinosaurs didn't seem to live was in the ocean as all major marine reptiles weren't dinosaurs but some other archosaur or Mozasaurs which are related to modern day monitor lizards. Dinosaurs have been discovered on every single continent including Antarctica, in every type of biome from desert to forest to steppe to river deltas. Some of the best specimens have come from river watersheds such as the hell creek formation or Morrison because the conditions on river banks is the best for preserving large body animals but plenty of other formations exist away from river banks. EDIT: clarifications. So I've seen a lot of the same comments so I'll leave a reply here to these questions. Antarctica at the time of the dinosaurs (the Mesozoic) would not have been covered in ice, it also would not have been on the south pole, rather closer to modern day South Africa. That being said, dinosaurs have been discovered in what would have been their Arctic Circle where it would have snowed regularly, experienced very cold temperatures in the winter and had 1-3 months of no sun. Dinosaurs that lived in this region permanently had special adaptations such as Truodonts in this region being much bigger than their southern cousins while a type of Tyrannosaurus (not THE T. Rex but a relative) had a smaller body. It's also worth mentioning that dinosaurs were not cold blooded rather a sort of in between called Mezotherm. To what extent depends heavily on the dinosaur. Not all ancient reptiles that lived in the Mesozoic was a dinosaur and in short the different is taxonomy, the relationships between species. All animals classified as dinosaurs have a distinct common ancestor that separates them from all other reptiles. One interesting thing is the fact that all dinosaurs, from triceratops to deinococcus to modern barn owls have a very specific pelvis that is unlike any other reptile. Plesiosaurs, Ichthyasaurs, Mozasaurs, and Ptarosaurs are not dinosaurs as they do not share the same ancestor as all dinosaurs, and in the case of the aquatic reptiles, split off from dinosaurs long before dinosaurs themselves became a distinct Clade. Answer from areigon on reddit.com
🌐
The Guardian
theguardian.com › science › 2009 › feb › 07 › pangaea-dinosaurs-where-they-lived
Dinosaurs: Where did they live? | Dinosaurs | The Guardian
February 14, 2018 - When dinosaurs came into existence nearly 230m years ago, all of the world's land masses were joined in one C-shaped "supercontinent", Pangaea. Of course, these earliest dinosaurs may have only lived in certain parts of Pangaea, and the oldest ...
🌐
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Dinosaur
Dinosaur - Wikipedia
2 days ago - Other lines of evidence suggesting endothermy include the presence of feathers and other types of body coverings in many lineages (see § Feathers); more consistent ratios of the isotope oxygen-18 in bony tissue compared to ectotherms, particularly as latitude and thus air temperature varied, which suggests stable internal temperatures (although these ratios can be altered during fossilization); and the discovery of polar dinosaurs, which lived in Australia, Antarctica, and Alaska when these places would have had cool, temperate climates.
🌐
Deseret News
deseret.com › u-s-world › 2020 › 9 › 1 › 21408531 › dinosaur-map-hometown-interactive
Which dinosaurs live in your hometown? New map helps you find out – Deseret News
December 19, 2023 - Want to know which dinosaurs lived in Salt Lake City 65 million years ago? Now, you can see, thanks to an interactive map. For example, enter “Salt Lake City.” The map lists “Grallator, Triceratops, Centrosaurus” as nearby fossils.
Find elsewhere
🌐
Khan Academy
khanacademy.org › partner-content › amnh › dinosaurs › studying-dinosaurs › a › where-in-the-world-did-dinosaurs-live
Where in the world did dinosaurs live? - Khan Academy
Dinosaurs first appeared on Earth about 228 million years. They varied greatly in shape and size. Some weighed more than 80 tons and were more than 120 feet long. Others were the size of a finch and weighed as little as 8 ounces. Most dinosaurs became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period ...
🌐
Quora
quora.com › Did-dinosaurs-live-on-only-one-area-of-the-Earth
Did dinosaurs live on only one area of the Earth? - Quora
Answer (1 of 16): “Did dinosaurs live on only one area of the Earth”? Interpretation of the question could be, as the continents are today, or as they were when dinosaurs lived? When dinosaurs first existed there was only one land mass known as Pangea, during the Mesozoic Era, in that respect, ...
🌐
Dinosaur Universe
dinosaur-universe.com › accueil › blog › where did dinosaurs live?
Where Did Dinosaurs Live? | Dinosaur Universe
October 15, 2022 - Mesozoic riparian forests can be found in the Morrison Formation in the United States. As evidenced by the many reptile remains and bones discovered, this rich fossil bed existed in the Fossil Jurassic. In this type of environment, theropods (carnivorous dinosaurs), ornithopods (bird mimics), and sauropods (herbivorous dinosaurs) lived.
🌐
BBC
bbc.co.uk › bitesize › articles › zkcs9ty
Dinosaurs | KS1 Topic | Ages 5-7 - BBC Bitesize
July 30, 2025 - At first, they lived in what is now called South America, and then spread across the globe more than 200 million years ago. At that time, the countries and continents were joined together in a single stretch of land called Pangaea.
🌐
Encyclopedia Britannica
britannica.com › science › earth science, geologic time & fossils › dinosaurs
How Long Did Dinosaurs Live? | Extinct, Time Span, & Facts | Britannica
4 weeks ago - Dinosaurs roamed the Earth for an impressive span of about 165 to 180 million years. They first appeared about 245 million years ago during the beginning of the Middle Triassic Epoch. This was a time when the continents were joined together in a supercontinent known as Pangea.
🌐
ThoughtCo
thoughtco.com › where-did-dinosaurs-live-1091965
Where Did Dinosaurs Live?
May 7, 2025 - Like modern mammals, dinosaurs occupied a wide range of habitats, ranging from deserts to tropical jungles to polar regions.
🌐
Only Dinosaurs
onlydinosaurs.com › home › dinosaur knowledge › where did the dinosaur live? fun facts you want to know
Where Did The Dinosaur Live? Fun Facts You Want To Know
September 28, 2025 - Dinosaurs might love living in riverine areas and beside water bodies, but they are not aquatic.Evidence shows that some early dinosaurs went into water to feed on aquatic life, but no non avian dinosaurs lived permanently in the water like crocodiles or turtles. All true dinosaurs were terrestrial, although they often shared habitats with other reptiles and other animals. Just as dinosaurs didn’t live in the water, they also didn’t live in the air.
🌐
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Cretaceous–Paleogene_extinction_event
Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event
2 days ago - Non-avian dinosaurs, for example, are known from the Maastrichtian of North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Antarctica, but are unknown from the Cenozoic anywhere in the world.
🌐
U.S. National Park Service
nps.gov › subjects › fossils › where-dinosaurs-roamed-the-u-s.htm
Where Dinosaurs Roamed - Fossils and Paleontology (U.S. National Park Service)
Dinosaurs are rare in the eastern half of the country because this area was generally eroding instead of being a place of deposition when dinosaurs were around. Eastern dinosaurs come from the rift valleys of the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic, and coastal areas of the much higher seas of the Cretaceous.
🌐
Australian Museum
australian.museum › learn › dinosaurs › dinosaurs-living-together
Dinosaurs living together - The Australian Museum
Monolophosaurus jiangi was an unusual-looking theropod that lived in Asia about 170 million years ago. The bony crest on its head may have been used as a display feature to attract mates or to amplify calls. Giganotosaurus belongs to the same group as the North American Allosaurus and has three fingers on each hand, typical of allosaurs. It displaced Tyrannosaurus rex as the largest meat-eating dinosaur when its discovery was announced in 1995.
🌐
Natural History Museum
nhm.ac.uk › discover › when-did-dinosaurs-live.html
When did dinosaurs live? | Natural History Museum
Can you spot the dinosaur in this Cretaceous environment? See more dinosaurs that lived in the Late Cretaceous.
🌐
The Conversation
theconversation.com › could-dinosaurs-still-exist-somewhere-in-the-world-a-paleontologist-explains-233967
Could dinosaurs still exist somewhere in the world? A paleontologist explains
December 8, 2024 - It had a mouth full of sharp teeth ... and a huge claw on the second toe of each foot. A fast hunter that did not fit the traditional ideas about dinosaurs as slow and not very active, Deinonychus lived in North America during the Cretaceous period, about 110 million years ...
🌐
American Museum of Natural History
amnh.org › dinosaurs › dinosaur-facts
Dinosaur Facts | American Museum of Natural History
Contrary to what many people think, not all dinosaurs lived during the same geological period. Stegosaurus, for example, lived during the Late Jurassic Period, about 150 million years ago. Tyrannosaurus rex lived during the Late Cretaceous Period, about 72 million years ago.
🌐
DinosaurPictures.org
dinosaurpictures.org › ancient-earth
Ancient Earth globe
Earth looked very different long ago. Search for addresses across 750 million years of Earth's history.