Baby brontosauruses are estimated to have weighed between 200 to 300 pounds at birth. This estimate is based on the theory that brontosauruses may have given birth to live young, nurtured within a herd, similar to modern elephants.
Understanding Brontosaurus Size
While the exact size of hatchling or newborn brontosauruses remains a subject of ongoing research due to the lack of fossilized eggs, current theories provide some insights.
- Lack of Fossil Evidence: The absence of brontosaurus eggs in the fossil record is a key factor influencing the prevailing hypotheses.
- Live Birth Hypothesis: One prominent theory suggests that brontosauruses might have given birth to live young, which would have required protection from the herd.
- Weight Estimation: Based on this hypothesis, the estimated weight of a newborn brontosaurus falls within the range of 200 to 300 pounds. This is significant, as smaller animals are more vulnerable in the wild.
Comparing to Modern Animals
To put the size of a baby brontosaurus into perspective:
- A 200-300 pound newborn would be comparable to a very large calf or a large domestic animal.
- This size would require a certain level of maturity at birth to move with the herd and begin foraging.
Further Research
Future paleontological discoveries may shed more light on the reproductive strategies and the exact size of baby brontosauruses.
