Jurassic Park

Pteranodon - one of the great flying reptiles from the Cretaceous (not Jurassic) Period - was a member of the Pterodactyl family. The name "Pteranodon" means "Wing without Tooth."  It also didn’t have much of a tail.

Distinguished by a large crown at the back of its head and a huge jaw at the front, the Pteranodon was NOT a dinosaur. It had an incredible wing span (scientists estimate between 23-30 feet), ate fish and lived near the sea shore. Paleontologists believe it had body fur similar to a bat’s.

When the first Pteranodon was discovered in America (they have been found in Kansas and Wyoming), it created quite a sensation. It was much larger than its European counterpart. Although thousands of Pteranodon fossils exist, paleontologists have located only one nearly complete skeleton. Since they could not walk well on land, these "air dragons" likely watched for prey high up in the trees. When they spotted what they wanted, they would swoop down to catch it.

On June 1, 1996, Mike Everhart found a young male Pteranodon in Kansas. Follow the links to learn about his important discovery and the meticulous process required to carefully retrieve and clean the Pteranodon’s skull.