World Of Dinosaurs At Blair Drummond Safari Park

Blair Drummond Safari Park

Blair Drummond Safari Park is located near Stirling, in Scotland, and hosts the amazing World Of Dinosaurs exhibit. The park is a whopping 490,000m2 of awesome attractions with lots to do and see and is a fabulous day out for the whole family.

From African lions to the cheeky monkeys on chimp island, the safari park has a whole family of well looked after resident animals to see.

But we’re here to talk about dinosaurs, so let’s move on…

The World Of Dinosaurs Attraction

The dinosaur park at Blair Drummond, in beautiful Stirling, isn’t very big – but it doesn’t have to be. You can easily walk around its winding path in about 15 minutes to the roars and rumbles of the Mesozoic ages.

If you close your eyes, you can imagine what it was like to stand among these animals 100 million years ago. From the shriek of a flying Pteranodon to the caw of a hungry Velociraptor, it’s so realistic and well put together as a visitor attraction. The staff at Blair Drummond have really done an amazing job of getting it absolutely spot on.

The Dinosaurs At Blair Drummond

There are over 20 dinosaurs to see and hear at Blair Drummond featuring 15 different species. They are very life-like and true to form and give us a peek into the distant past of what it must have been like to walk among them.

Even though humans didn’t exist at the time of the dinosaurs, it would have been an awesome sight to see if we did. We would have probably been on the menu though so maybe it’s just as well.

Here is the full list of dinosaurs at the World Of Dinosaurs attraction in Blair Drummond.

Spinosaurus

Spinosaurus is the largest carnivore at the World Of Dinosaurs At Blair Drummond. In fact, it’s the largest known carnivorous dinosaur to have existed on land – period. Here are some fun facts about Spinosaurus.

Type: Theropod
Length: Up To 16 Metres (52.4 feet)
Height: Up To 7 Metres (22.9 feet)
Mass: Up To 20,000 kg (20 tons)
Diet: Meat (Carnivore)
Lived: 155 – 150 Million Years Ago
Period: Cretaceous

Spinosaurus was a theropod who fed mainly on fish and aquatic animals. To satisfy such a ferocious appetite, it probably spent a lot of its time near the sea, much like our beach at St Andrews, as inland waterways may not have provided enough to eat. It most likely fed on small land dinosaurs too, just like any other giant meat eater, but mostly fish.

It was probably a scavenger too which means it just ate whatever it found lying around as well as simply stealing food from other smaller dinosaurs.

Stegosaurus

Stegosaurus is a little tank of a dinosaur and one of my favourites. Here are some fun facts about Stegosaurus.

Type: Thyreophora
Length: Up To 9 Metres (30 feet)
Height: Up To 4.3 Metres (14.1 feet)
Mass: Up To 7,000 kg (7 tons)
Diet: Vegetation (Herbivore)
Lived: 155 – 150 Million Years Ago
Period: Jurassic

Stegosaurus walked on all fours, was a plant eater, and didn’t move any faster than about 5mph.

As well as living in herds for safety, it defended itself from giant meat eaters using the armoured plates on its back and also the boney spikes at the end of its tail which it could use to whip anything that tried to catch it.

The main enemy of Stegasaurus was Allosaurus and Ceratosaurus who lived at the same time and were big enough to take him down.

Brachiosaurus

Brachiosaurus was a giant sauropod that could live to over 100 years old. Here are some fun facts about Brachiosaurus.

Type: Sauropod
Length: Up To 23 Metres (75.4 feet)
Height: Up To 9.4 Metres (30.8 feet)
Mass: Up To 80,000 kg (80 tons)
Diet: Vegetation (Herbivore)
Lived: 161.2 – 145 Million Years Ago
Period: Jurassic

Brachiosaurus had front legs much longer than its rear legs which made it a weird, sloping looking dinosaur. This was most likely to support its long neck which he used to reach food high up in the trees and other hard to reach places.

He was a herbivore that could eat up to 400 kg of vegetation every day and his main enemies were Allosaurus & Torvosaurus. As Brachiosaurus was a herd animal, it’s most likely that Allosaurus & Torvosaurus would target weak, sick, and old members of the herd and would’ve preferred to avoid a full-on fight with a healthy adult sauropod.

The giant tail of a Brachiosaurus, although short for its size, could still pack a powerful punch that could leave any predator with a sore nose.

Pteranodon

Pteranodon was a giant flying lizard that lived in huge flocks fed mostly on fish. It most probably wouldn’t mind eating small dinosaurs and other animals too. Here are some fun facts about Pteranodon.

Type: Theropod (Disputed)
Length: Up To 2 Metres (6.5 feet)
Wingspan: Up To 5.5 Metres (18 feet)
Mass: Up To 50kg (0.05 Tons)
Diet: Meat (Carnivore)
Lived: 89.8 – 70.6 Million Years Ago
Period: Cretaceous

Pteranodon was actually a reptile and not a true dinosaur. There’s also debate on whether or not he was a true theropod as some scientists believe it stood upright while others don’t.

Although the theropod debate rages on, what we do know is that the giant flying reptile was among the biggest animals to have ever taken to the sky. It had a typical wingspan of around 5.5 metres and sometimes up to 7 metres and must have been a terrifying sight to see – if you were a fish.

Styracosaurus

Styracosaurus was a heavy horned dinosaur who belonged to the ceratopsian family. This group also included the larger, better known, and more popular Triceratops. Here are some fun facts about Styracosaurus.

Type: Ceratopsid
Length: Up To 5.5 Metres (18ft)
Height: Up To 1.8 Metres (5.9 feet)
Mass: Up To 2,700 kg (2.7 tons)
Diet: Vegetation (Herbivore)
Lived: 83.5 – 70.6 Million Years Ago
Period: Cretaceous

Styracosaurus was a plant eater and lived mainly in grasslands eating ferns and palms. It also loved scavenging in forested areas for fallen fruit and any other tasty treats it could find on the forest floor.

Styracosaurus didn’t move very fast though and wasn’t very clever either. His main enemy was Albertosaurus who lived at the same time but due to the size and defence capability of an adult Styracosaurus, it’s most likely Albertosaurus would pick off the old, young, and the weak from a Styracosaurus herd.

Irritator

Weird name for a dinosaur but yes, this thing really is called an Irritator. Here are some fun facts (probably) about Irritator

Type: Theropod
Length: Up To 8 Metres (26ft)
Height: Up To 3 Metres (9.8 feet)
Mass: Up To 3,000 kg (3 tons)
Diet: Meat (Carnivore)
Lived: 113 – 100.5 Million Years Ago
Period: Cretaceous

Little is really known about this beast as there has only ever been one Irritator fossil ever discovered – in what is now Brazil, so why the staff at Blair Drummond decided to showcase this animal at the World Of Dinosaurs attraction is a bit of a mystery.

How large it was and how much it weighed are also only estimates. Only the skull of this dinosaur has even been studied and even that was obtained under questionable circumstances so we really can’t be certain.

What we do know is that it was definitely a theropod, was carnivorous and was a cousin of Spinosaurus so probably loved to eat fish

Ankylosaurus

I love this little 4 legged tank. With its armoured body and clubbed tail, Ankylosaurus loved to live in peace but could defend itself well if it had to. Here are some fun facts about Ankylosaurus.

Type: Thyreophora
Length: Up To 8 Metres (26ft)
Height: Up To 1.7 Metres (5.5 feet)
Mass: Up To 8,000 kg (8 tons)
Diet: Vegetation (Herbivore)
Lived: 83.5 – 66 Million Years Ago
Period: Cretaceous

Like all herbivores, Ankylosaurus had predator enemies like Tyrannosaurus and Tarbosaurus. Due to its size, weight and defence, however, Ankylosaurus was no easy meal and any hungry carnivore risked a fatal injury if tried to mount an attack.

Ankylosaurus was most likely a solitary animal too as it had such awesome body armour, it didn’t really need a herd for protection.

Triceratops

Triceratops is my dad’s all time favourite dinosaur. With its 3 large front horns and a boney crown to protect its neck, it is part of the ceratopsian family of animals like the Styracosaurus. Here are some fun facts about Triceratops.

Type: Ceratopsid
Length: Up To 9 Metres (29.5 feet)
Height: Up To 3 Metres (9.8 feet)
Mass: Up To 12,000 kg (12 tons)
Diet: Vegetation (Herbivore)
Lived: 83.5 – 66 Million Years Ago
Period: Cretaceous

The name “Triceratops” means “3 horned face” and was most likely a solitary dinosaur who loved to be left alone. It was a big herbivore who moved slowly and wasn’t very clever.

He lived alongside Tyrannosaurus who was his natural enemy but due to his size, weight, and giant horns, it’s unlikely T-Rex would have taken on a healthy, adult Triceratops in an all out fight. It’s more likely that the giant carnivore would’ve preferred to pick off old, weak, or injured Triceratops who couldn’t defend themselves quite so well.

Allosaurus

Allosaurus is a big theropod meaning it was a 3 toed dinosaur who walked upright on 2 legs. He looked a lot like T-Rex only much smaller. Here are some fun facts about Allosaurus.

Type: Theropod
Length: Up To 10.5 Metres (34.4 feet)
Height: Up To 5 Metres (16.5 feet)
Mass: Up To 2.000 kg (2 tons)
Diet: Meat (Carnivore)
Lived: 163.5 – 89.3 Million Years Ago
Period: Jurassic

Just because Allosaurus was a predator doesn’t mean he couldn’t also have been eaten. There is evidence to suggest that Allosaurus fell prey to other larger Allosaurus. Yuk!

He mainly hunted Stegosaurus and other large dinosaurs. Like any other half smart predator, however, he most likely attacked old, weak, or injured animals to avoid a full-on fight with a healthy adult that could leave him fatally injured.

Oviraptor

Oviraptor almost certainly had feathers and was a little nesting dinosaur. Found in Mongolia, although small, they were very fast and could run up to 70kph (43.4 mph). Here are some fun facts about Oviraptor.

Type: Theropod
Length: Up To 1.5 Metres (4.9 feet)
Height: Up To 1.5 Metres (4.9 feet)
Mass: Up To 36 kg (0.03 tons)
Diet: Meat (Carnivore)
Lived: 89.8 – 70.6 Million Years Ago
Period: Cretaceous

Oviraptor was an omnivore meaning it fed on both meat and plants. This would include smaller dinosaurs and other little animals as well as fruit and vegetation.

Oviraptor shared a lot of characteristics with modern large flightless birds and was about the size of a small emu who can run up to 50 kph (31 mph).

Carnotaurus

Before visiting the world of dinosaurs, we had never heard of a Carnotaurus so this was totally new to us. Here are some fun facts about Carnotaurus.

Type: Theropod
Length: Up To 9 Metres (29.5 feet)
Height: Up To 3 Metres (10 feet)
Mass: Up To 2,100 kg (2.1 tons)
Diet: Meat (Carnivore)
Lived: 83.6 – 66 Million Years Ago
Period: Cretaceous

Carnotaurus had a top speed of up to 48–56 km (30–35 mi) and was massive. He also had 2 weird horns sticking out of his head which might have been used for fighting or attracting a mate.

Carnotaurus had tiny, pointless little arms that were even shorter than those belonging to a T-Rex. As a true carnivore, his diet would have been other dinosaurs he was able to catch as well as stealing dinner from other smaller dinosaurs who didn’t want to put up a fight.

Velociraptor

Velociraptor means “quick plunderer” and was a fairly small dinosaur that would eat whatever it could catch. Here are some fun facts about Velociraptor.

Type: Theropod
Length: Up To 1.8 Metres (5.9 feet)
Height: Up To 0.5 Metres (1.6 feet)
Mass: Up To 45 kg (0.04 tons)
Diet: Meat (Carnivore)
Lived: 89.8 – 72.1 Million Years Ago
Period: Cretaceous

Velociraptor is another of my dad’s favourite dinosaurs – as featured in the hit film Jurassic Park. You can imagine his disappointment when he found out that the true Velociraptor wasn’t as big, had a slightly different shaped snout and arms, had feathers, and was certainly nowhere near as intelligent as those portrayed in the movie.

That said, he still loves these weird, sneaky little dinosaurs.

Dilophosaurus

Dilophosaurus was a medium sized theropod and lived around 190 million years ago. It is one of the earliest living animals featured at the World of Dinosaurs in Blair Drummond Safari Park. Here are some fun facts about Dilophosaurus.

Type: Theropod
Length: Up To 7 Metres (22.9 feet)
Height: Up To 1.5 Metres (4.9 feet)
Mass: Up To 400 kg (0.4 tons)
Diet: Meat (Carnivore)
Lived: 201.3 – 182.7 Million Years Ago
Period: Jurassic

Although in the movie Jurassic Park the Dilophosaurus could spit venom, there is no actual evidence to suggest it could spit poison or had toxic saliva at all.

The huge colourful frills on its neck might have been to make it appear larger to enemies or for attracting a mate. Much in the same way a peacock does with its huge plume today.

Diplodocus

Diplodocus is the largest dinosaur at the World of Dinosaurs exhibit and he really was a monster. As big as it was though, it was a gentle giant who loved to eat leaves and plants. Here are some fun facts about Diplodocus.

Type: Sauropod
Length: Up To 26 Metres (85.3 feet)
Height: Up To 5.8 Metres (19 feet)
Mass: Up To 16,000 kg (16 tons)
Diet: Vegetation (Herbivore)
Lived: 161.2 – 145 Million Years Ago
Period: Jurassic

As the longest known dinosaur to have ever lived, his main enemy was Torvosaurus. Although only half the length of an adult Diplodocus, Torvosaurus was much faster and beyond fierce so when a Torvosaurus was lurking around, Diplodocus was worried.

One whip from the giant tail of a Diplodocus could kill a hungry Torvosaurus however, so it’s most likely the large predator would pick off the old, weak, and injured from the herd in order to avoid a fatal injury.

Tyrannosaurus (T-Rex)

Tyrannosaurus is the undisputed king of the dinosaurs and the most famous animal to feature at the World of Dinosaurs in Blair Drummond. He was an absolutely ferocious animal who could take down almost anything he encountered. Here are some fun facts about Tyrannosaurus.

Type: Theropod
Length: Up To 12.3 Metres (40.3 feet)
Height: Up To 6.1 Metres (20 feet)
Mass: Up To 8,000 kg (8 tons)
Diet: Meat (Carnivore)
Lived: 83.6 – 66 Million Years Ago
Period: Cretaceous

There is plenty of evidence to suggest Tyrannosaurus were loving, protective parents too who actively reared their young. They would hunt as well as scavenge and were also more than able to simply steal the dinner of other predators to survive.

The formidable, well defended Triceratops was also regularly on the T-Rex menu. It’s more likely however that T-Rex would’ve preferred to snack on smaller dinosaurs as they would’ve been less likely, or able to fight back.

Walking With Dinosaurs At Blair Drummond

If you love theropods, ceratopsians and sauropods then you’ll absolutely love the World Of Dinosaurs at the Blair Drummond Safari Park. We definitely recommend it as a fun filled family day out.

There is plenty more to do and see in the rest of the safari park too so when you’ve had enough of dodging carnivores and giant earth shakers, you can spend a whole day enjoying the rest of the visitor attractions.

As a top tip, go on a pleasantly warm day and the animals will be more active. If you go on a hot day, none of the residents can be bothered and are usually hiding in the shade.

We loved it and will definitely go again and you never know, we might even bump into you there.