Velociraptor Awareness Day

73 million years ago, a creature roamed the Earth that struck fear into the hearts of many – all thanks to an author’s novel that was later adapted into a beloved movie franchise. Its name means “swift plunderer”, but it was not discovered by science until 1922.

Today is National Velociraptor Awareness Day, and is a day to celebrate all things raptor, but these animals are not quite what most imagine. They were adorned with feathers and wings, much like a dinosaur turkey, if you will. These birds of prey were on the smaller scale and had serrated teeth.

Velociraptors still have scientists scratching their heads about their true roots of evolution and are unsure which ancestor species led to velociraptors or if several species of velociraptors existed.  Dinosaurs can never be fully extinct because we keep them alive with their own legacy that has transcended millions of years.

Let’s face it, the image of raptors is ingrained in humanity and just won’t die. Ford named a truck model after them, Toronto has honored them with a namesake of their basketball team, there’s Philosoraptor giving the internet a dose of quirky thoughts and Universal is welcoming visitors onboard its VelociCoaster this summer.

Life finds a way.