Bambiraptor feinbergi

While this is not a part of my original dinosaur pathology series, I had an inquiry about Bambiraptor. Here are some highlights and history of this specimen.

Bambiraptor feinbergi is a diminutive relative of Velociraptor. Standing only one foot high, this 75 million year old individual had the same type of killer claw on its second toe, allowing a predatory lifestyle. Its history is equally impressive, having been discovered in 1993 near Glacier National Park in Montana by 14 year old Wes Linster, who recognized its importance and assured its proper excavation. It was purchased by Michael and Ann Feinberg (for whom its species name honors), loaned to the Graves Museum of Natural History in Florida and is now on exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History, catalogued as AMNH 30556.

The close connection between Robert DePalma of the Graves Museum led to initial collaboration with Dave Burnham at the University of Kansas and subsequent involvement by paleontological luminaries Phil Currie, Zhou Zhang, Robert (Bob) Bakker and John Ostrum addressing the bird-dinosaur controversy of those times. I was fortunate to have been given the opportunity to examine a cast of this almost complete skeleton.

Bambiraptor by Noba Bamura

Bambiraptor by Scott Hartman