National Velociraptor Awareness Day: History, Facts & Insights

This is an in-depth look at all the must-know facts about National Velociraptor Awareness Day (2024) 🗓️ that no one tells you about. National Velociraptor Awareness Day is celebrated on April 18th.

Among the information you’ll find below: the history of National Velociraptor Awareness Day, activities to do on and how to observe this holiday, as well as interesting facts you should know about National Velociraptor Awareness Day.

📅 What day is National Velociraptor Awareness Day 2024?

In 2024, National Velociraptor Awareness Day is on Tuesday, April 18th. It is the 3rd Tuesday in April; in 2024, it is Thursday. There are until the next observance. You also can learn all the fun details and facts about April 18, 2023, that you might not be aware of.

In the 1990s, Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park” movies made raptors famous in Hollywood. Now, on April 18th, National Velociraptor Awareness Day gives us a chance to reflect on these creatures that lived 70 million years ago.

📜 National Velociraptor Awareness Day History

The reason for the discrepancy between the portrayal of velociraptors in “Jurassic Park” and their actual appearance is because the movie production started before the discovery of the Utahraptor skeleton in 1991. This discovery revealed that the Utahraptor was the largest known raptor at the time, standing at 5.5 feet tall. It baffles one of the film designers that they had created and constructed the velociraptor in the movie, only to later find out about the real Utahraptor.

During the Cretaceous period, velociraptors lived on Earth between 85.8 million and 70.6 million years ago. The name “velociraptor” was given to this dinosaur in 1924 by Henry Fairfield Osborn. The name was derived from Latin words meaning “swift” and “plunderer.” Although the dinosaur was initially called Ovoraptor Djadochtari in a paper written earlier that year, this name was not used in scientific journals, and Velociraptor became the widely recognized name.

In the “Jurassic Park” movies, the velociraptor was portrayed as scaly and reptilian, similar to the Tyrannosaurus rex. However, paleontologists discovered feathers and quill knobs on the fossil forearm of a velociraptor found in Mongolia in 2007, indicating that they were actually feathered. In 2008, fossils of protoceratops with raptor-like teeth were found, along with two teeth that could have belonged to a velociraptor or another similar dinosaur.

In 2012, a large pterosaur bone was found in the intestines of a velociraptor, suggesting that they occasionally preyed on pterosaurs. There are two known velociraptor species, V. mongoliensis and V. osmolskae, with the latter being discovered in 2008.

✅ National Velociraptor Awareness Day Facts

🔖 A big chicken
Despite common misconceptions, velociraptors were actually similar in size to a large chicken.

🔖 Velociraptors didn’t hunt in packs
Each velociraptor was a solitary hunter.

🔖 Velociraptors did not have reptilian skin
Due to the presence of quill knobs, velociraptors possessed feathers instead.

👍 Why Is National Velociraptor Awareness Day Important

Velociraptor fossils have been discovered in Mongolia and China, but the hunt continues across the world.

Raptors play an important role in all of the “Jurassic Park” films. They are represented as cunningly intelligent antagonists.

For killing and consuming prey, these carnivores had long, retractable claws as well as 26–28 teeth.

🙂 How To Observe National Velociraptor Awareness Day

⚡ Head to a museum
Consider visiting the Natural History Museum in New York or the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Arrange a trip to witness real fossils and explore the remnants of the dinosaur era that still exist today.

⚡ Host a movie marathon
What could be a more fitting tribute to these ancient, deadly creatures than to dedicate a whole night to watching all four “Jurassic Park” movies? It would be even better if you bring along someone who hasn’t experienced the thrill of the “Lost World” before.

⚡ Meet the Flintstones
Fred and Wilma Flintstone, who live in the town of Bedrock, had a pet dinosaur called Dino. To celebrate National Velociraptor Awareness Day, you can introduce your children to a charming cartoon from the 1960s featuring this adorable dinosaur.

📅 When is National Velociraptor Awareness Day?

View all 🔗 April holidays, including 🔗 Appreciation and other 🔗 Educational holidays.

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