| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 3m |
| Length | 9m |
| Weight | 3 tonnes |
| Speed | 25 km/h |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Ornithopod |
| Location | North America |
Hadrosaurus was a large ornithopod dinosaur that lived in North America during the Late Cretaceous Period, approximately 85.7 to 72.2 million years ago. This remarkable creature holds a special place in paleontological history as the first dinosaur skeleton found in North America to be scientifically described and mounted for display. The holotype specimen was discovered in the Woodbury Formation of New Jersey, where it had been transported by an ancient river and washed out to sea.
Standing about 3 metres tall at the hip and measuring 9 metres in length, Hadrosaurus was a substantial herbivore that could walk on both two and four legs. Like other ornithopods, it possessed a sophisticated dental system perfectly adapted for processing tough plant material. Its jaws contained hundreds of small, tightly packed teeth arranged in dental batteries that could grind vegetation efficiently as the teeth wore down and were replaced continuously throughout the animal's life.
This duck-billed dinosaur inhabited the lush, subtropical coastal plains of Late Cretaceous North America. The environment was characterised by warm temperatures, high humidity, and abundant plant life including ferns, cycads, and early flowering plants. Hadrosaurus likely fed on a variety of vegetation, using its flexible neck to browse at different heights and its powerful jaw muscles to process fibrous plant matter.
The discovery of Hadrosaurus marked a turning point in American paleontology, proving that dinosaurs had once lived in North America and sparking public interest in these ancient creatures that continues to this day.
Hadrosaurus had a distinctive duck-like bill at the front of its skull, lacking the elaborate crests seen in some of its relatives. Its powerful hind limbs were longer than its front limbs, allowing it to rear up on two legs when necessary, whilst its hands bore small hooves suitable for occasional quadrupedal movement.
Hadrosaurus likely lived in herds for protection from predators, communicating through low-frequency calls and visual displays. When threatened, it could rear up on its powerful hind legs to run at speeds of up to 25 km/h, though it probably spent much of its time on all fours whilst feeding.
Whilst not as famous as some other dinosaurs, Hadrosaurus has appeared in various dinosaur documentaries and educational materials, particularly those focusing on the history of paleontology in America.
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Ornithischia |
| Family | Hadrosauridae |
| Genus | Hadrosaurus |
Hadrosaurus was first described by William Parker Foulke and Joseph Leidy in 1858. The original fossils were discovered at Woodbury Formation, New Jersey, USA.
