Rolling Hills Zoo’s newest traveling exhibit, Return of the Dinosaurs, will open Saturday by introducing guests to the infamous roar of the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex and the deep vocal calls of a hollow-crested, duck-billed Parasaurolophus.
Ever since the first dinosaur was discovered, these magnificent and mysterious creatures have captured the imaginations of young and old alike, but one could only wonder how they moved and what their vocalizations sounded like . . . . that is until they were brought to life through animatronic technology.
Adjacent to Kids Country, guests will discover the leisurely Stegosaurus in search of vegetation as the Ankylosaurus family is found munching on low-growing plants, and the Triceratops and two of its young forage for vegetation along their path. Gliding overhead in the lobby of the Wildlife Museum will be the coastal Pteranodon keeping a keen eye on the scene below as guests travel through the museum.
After flourishing for 160 million years, by far the longest period of dominance by any group of animals, dinosaurs vanished with baffling suddenness. Though dozens of explanations have been proposed, no single theory answers the question, “what happened to the dinosaurs?”
“While this question goes unanswered, this exhibit gives us an opportunity to talk about the earth’s next mass extinction predicted by scientists that could happen yet in our lifetime,” explained Bob Jenkins, Rolling Hills Zoo’s Executive Director. “Unlike other mass extinctions, including that of the dinosaurs, this mass extinction is being caused by human activity whose impact could change the world as we know it.”
Rolling Hills Zoo’s newest exhibit, Return of the Dinosaurs, is included as part of your zoo and wildlife museum admission. While the popular appeal of dinosaurs will never go extinct, Return of the Dinosaurs will only be open through Oct. 12, 2020.