Velociraptor Facts for Kids

A Picture of Velociraptor
  • Species Type: Velociraptor mongoliensis
  • Type of Dinosaur: Theropod
  • Period: Cretaceous
  • Diet: Meat (carnivorous)
  • Life Span: Unknown
  • Length: Up to 6.8 feet
  • Weight: Between 33 to 43 pounds

14 Velociraptor Facts for Kids

  1. The Velociraptor was discovered in 1923, by Peter Kaisen in Outer Mongolian Gobi Desert.
  2. The name Velociraptor means: “Quick Plunderer” or “Rapid Robber”.
  3. The name Velociraptor is pronounced: “veh-loss-ih-RAP-tor”.
  4. The Velociraptor is commonly called a raptor.
  5. The Velociraptor was part of a group of dinosaurs known as theropod.
  6. The Velociraptor was a theropod that belonged to dromaeosaurid family.
  7. They lived during the Upper Cretaceous period about 71 to 75 million years ago.
  8. Estimates put the weight of a Velociraptor between 33 and 43 pounds.
  9. Estimates put the length of a Velociraptor up to 6.8 feet.
  10. Estimates put the top running speed of a Velociraptor up to 40 miles per hour.
  11. The Velociraptor was a carnivorous predator who ate meat.
  12. The most famous Velociraptor fossil is GIN 100/25. It’s called the “Fighting Dinosaurs” fossil because it’s fossilized remains of a Velociraptor and Protoceratops engaged in battle.
  13. Paleontologists think the Velociraptor may have had feathers like other dromaeosaurids.
  14. Velociraptors were depicted in the 1990 novel Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton and its 1993 film adapation named the same.

Additional Resources on Velociraptors

About the author
Facts Editor

This is an author profile for articles that are created from a collaborative effort. It is not uncommon that articles on this site were either written, researched or fact checked by several authors and team members. So this author profile will be displayed to reflect that. Our team of editors, writers and fact checkers do extensive research before publishing articles on the site, and we do our best to provide the most accurate information possible.