Triceratops

Triceratops was about 8 to 9 metres (26 to 30 feet) long and weighed between 6 and 10 tonnes (13,000 to 22,000 pounds). That is roughly as long as a school bus and as heavy as a large elephant.12

Triceratops was a plant-eater that ate low-growing plants like ferns, cycads and palms. It used its sharp, parrot-like beak to snip off tough leaves and had up to 800 teeth to grind them up.23

Most Triceratops fossils are found alone, so scientists think they usually lived alone. However, a few young Triceratops were found together, which suggests they might have stayed in small groups sometimes.23

Yes, Triceratops probably fought Tyrannosaurus rex. One fossil shows a Triceratops horn that was bitten by a T. rex and then healed, proving these dinosaurs really did battle.21

The frill may have helped protect its neck, but it was not always enough since T. rex bite marks have been found on frills. It was also used to attract mates and help Triceratops recognize each other.23

Nobody knows for sure how fast Triceratops could run, but scientists think it was not very fast because it was so heavy and walked on four legs. It probably moved at a slow walk or a trot.1

Triceratops died out about 66 million years ago, at the same time as the big mass extinction that killed all non-bird dinosaurs. It was one of the last horned dinosaurs alive.21

Triceratops fossils have been found in western North America, especially in the United States (Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, South Dakota) and in Canada (Alberta and Saskatchewan).23

Triceratops had three horns: two long ones above its eyes, each up to 1 metre (3.3 feet) long, and a shorter one on its nose. Its name means 'three-horned face'.24

Triceratops was generally smaller than T. rex. Triceratops was about 8 to 9 metres long, while T. rex could reach over 12 metres in length.1