Dinosaurs roamed Earth between 240 to 230 million years ago and came to rule the world until they went extinct about 66 million years ago when a giant asteroid hit the planet. They evolved from small sizes to enormous beasts during their time on Earth. While many ruled the land, there were dinosaurs also flying up in the air and swimming in the vast oceans.
Today, most of their remnants are found in fossils unearthed in different parts of the world. But a viral video online is having people second guess whether dinosaurs are really extinct because they are seeing what appears to be baby dinosaurs scurrying across the beach.
Are These Baby Dinosaurs? Here's How This Viral Video Was Made That Left Views Confused
Is Jurassic Park Real?
A viral video online shows a group of what seems to be baby dinosaurs running into the beach. The figures in the footage appear to have long necks and stout bodies. They look like dinosaurs, only that they are small, prompting some to think they are little dinos.
Those who are hoping to see actual dinosaurs will surely be disappointed because it turned out that the video featured coatis running in reverse. These small mammals are native to South and Central America as well as in Mexico and the southwestern United States.
There are many videos online showing similar clips of coatis walking in reverse with their tails standing upright, like the video below, shared on Twitter in 2019. In the videos, they look like tiny sauropods frolicking, with their tails looking like a dinosaur's neck. These videos make people think that perhaps Jurassic Park is real after seeing coatis moving in herds like the iconic scene in the movie.
Simplemost pointed out that the video of what appears to be baby dinosaurs running is not authentic because real dinosaurs were huge. They could not run like what was shown in the video or play like coatis due to their enormous size, unless they are Littlefoot from the animated film "The Land Before Time" who was pretty active in his adventures.
Sauropods are big dinosaurs that weigh up to 62 tons and could grow up to a height of a four-story building. They are not like the coatis that can quickly run around.
All About Coatis
Coatis are opportunistic omnivores that consume fruits and insects, according to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. They could weigh as much as a large cat but visually look like a cross between a dog, a monkey, and a raccoon.
These mammals play a mid-role in the food chain wherever they may live. As an omnivore, they consume a wide range of insects, small vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants, including nuts, fruits, roots, and leaves.
At the same time, they are prey for other wildlife, such as foxes, boa constrictors, birds of prey, jaguars, jaguarundis, ocelots, and even humans. Their position in the food chain is critical and has its perks and downside.
Coatis sniff along with the forests while their tails are up to search for their prey, like beetles, grubs, ants, termites, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, frogs, and lizards. Their tail helps them balance in the trees and act as a tracker while the herd is foraging in the vegetation.
Take a look at this viral video that makes them look like little dinosaurs when walking in reverse:
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