Hadrosaurus ‭(‬Sturdy lizard‭)‬

Hadrosaurus is a genus of large ornithopod dinosaur that lived in what is now North America during the Late Cretaceous period, around 80 million years ago. It was one of the first dinosaur species to be discovered and named in North America, and it played an important role in the early study of dinosaur paleontology.

Hadrosaurus was a relatively large dinosaur, measuring up to 9 meters (30 feet) in length and weighing around 4 tons. It had a distinctive, duck-billed snout with rows of teeth that were used to grind tough plant material, making it one of the most well-known and successful groups of herbivorous dinosaurs.

Hadrosaurus also had powerful hind legs and a long, muscular tail that likely allowed it to move quickly and efficiently on land. It likely lived in large herds, feeding on low-lying vegetation and avoiding predators, such as tyrannosaurs and other carnivorous dinosaurs that also lived in the area.

The first remains of Hadrosaurus were discovered in 1858 in Haddonfield, New Jersey, by amateur paleontologist William Parker Foulke. This was the first nearly complete dinosaur skeleton found in North America and was instrumental in proving the existence of dinosaurs, which were then a highly debated topic in the scientific community.

Today, Hadrosaurus is considered one of the most important dinosaur discoveries in North America, and it is the official state dinosaur of New Jersey. The discovery of Hadrosaurus helped to spark a new era of scientific exploration and discovery of these amazing creatures, and it continues to inspire and inform the study of dinosaur paleontology today.