Therizinosaurus Facts
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 5m |
| Length | 16m |
| Weight | 5 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Theropod |
| Location | Mongolia |

| Diet | Herbivore |
| Height | 5m |
| Length | 16m |
| Weight | 5 tonnes |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Theropod |
| Location | Mongolia |
Therizinosaurus was one of the most extraordinary theropods ever to walk the Earth, living approximately 72 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now Mongolia. Despite being a theropod—a group traditionally known for fierce predators like Tyrannosaurus—this colossal dinosaur was a peaceful plant-eater that represented one of evolution's most remarkable transformations from carnivore to herbivore.
Standing up to 5 metres tall at the hip and reaching lengths of 16 metres, Therizinosaurus was truly gigantic, weighing an estimated 5 tonnes. Its most striking feature was its enormous claws, some of the largest ever discovered, measuring over a metre in length. These fearsome-looking talons weren't used for hunting prey, but rather for pulling down high branches and stripping leaves from trees, much like a giant prehistoric sloth.
The dinosaur's massive body was supported by powerful legs, whilst its long neck allowed it to reach vegetation at considerable heights. Its relatively small head housed a beak-like mouth perfectly adapted for cropping plants. The discovery of Therizinosaurus has been particularly challenging for palaeontologists, as only fragmentary remains have been found, including those famous gigantic claws and various limb bones.
Living in the lush forests and river plains of Late Cretaceous Asia, Therizinosaurus shared its habitat with other giants like Tarbosaurus and various duck-billed dinosaurs, representing the incredible diversity of dinosaur life just before their extinction.
Therizinosaurus possessed the largest claws of any animal ever discovered, with some measuring over a metre in length. Despite its fearsome appearance, this massive theropod had a relatively small head with a beak-like mouth adapted for plant-eating, creating a striking contrast with its enormous size and intimidating talons.
Therizinosaurus likely spent much of its time using its massive claws to pull down high branches and strip leaves from trees, feeding in a manner similar to modern ground sloths. Its enormous size would have made it relatively safe from most predators, though it may have used its giant claws defensively if threatened by large carnivores like Tarbosaurus.
Therizinosaurus has appeared in several dinosaur documentaries and video games, often portrayed as a gentle giant with fearsome claws, though it remains less famous than other large dinosaurs.
Therizinosaurus was first described by Evgeny Maleev in 1954. The original fossils were discovered at Nemegt Formation, Gobi Desert, Mongolia.