Dinosaur
Dinosaurs were a group of animals which lived on Earth millions of years ago. As they were the dominant order of animal life in the lengthy era where they existed, it was known as the "Age of the Dinosaurs".
The term "Dinosaur" was created by human scientists early after they discovered the creatures' existence. According to the Fourth Doctor, it meant "terrible lizards" and was something of a misnomer; while they were reptiles, the Dinosaurs were not exactly lizards. (PROSE: The Doctor Who Dinosaur Book [+]Loading...["The Doctor Who Dinosaur Book (novel)"])
They lived on Earth for around 165 million years before, according to a Coal Hill School textbook, they became extinct. The word dinosaur comes from the term Dinosauria - meaning "terrible lizard" - which was coined by Sir Richard Owen, at the suggestion of the Doctor, in 1842. Dinosaur bones and fossils had been found as early as 1818. (PROSE: A History of Humankind [+]Loading...["A History of Humankind (novel)"])
History
Original reign
- Main article: Age of the Dinosaurs
The first dinosaurs appeared around 230 million BC. (AUDIO: The Land of the Dead [+]Loading...["The Land of the Dead (audio story)"])
Many species of dinosaurs evolved and went extinct over millions of years. Just before they went extinct, the last one of each species was captured and brought to the Museum of the Last Ones. (PROSE: The Last Dodo [+]Loading...["The Last Dodo (novel)"])
The Tenth Doctor's TARDIS accidentally crashed into another ship, causing both of them to crash on Earth during the Cretaceous period. The Doctor had to deal with dinosaurs while trying to get off the planet. (COMIC: Health & Safety [+]Loading...["Health & Safety (comic story)"])
Also during the Cretaceous, a group of aliens tried to build a colony on Earth using slave labour. Ace led the dinosaurs in destroying the colony's construction site, witnessed by the Seventh Doctor. (PROSE: Living in the Past [+]Loading...["Living in the Past (short story)"])
The Rani did several studies on dinosaurs. She obtained a tyrannosaurus rex embryo for study, which was accidentally aged to adulthood by time spillage in her TARDIS. (TV: The Mark of the Rani [+]Loading...["The Mark of the Rani (TV story)"]) She also planned to use her time brain to stop the extinction of the dinosaurs and study what they would evolve into. (TV: Time and the Rani [+]Loading...["Time and the Rani (TV story)"])
The Silurians used dinosaurs in a variety of ways. (TV: Doctor Who and the Silurians [+]Loading...["Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)"], Dinosaurs on a Spaceship [+]Loading...["Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (TV story)"], PROSE: Blood Heat [+]Loading...["Blood Heat (novel)"]) When their civilisation was threatened, they preserved dinosaurs along with themselves, both in stasis under the Earth (TV: Doctor Who and the Silurians [+]Loading...["Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)"]) and in the Silurian Ark. (TV: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship [+]Loading...["Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (TV story)"]) The Sea Devils used dinosaurs as beasts of burden but also claimed to hunt them for sport, holding a very low opinion of the creatures. (COMIC: Clara Oswald and the School of Death [+]Loading...["Clara Oswald and the School of Death (comic story)"])
In around 65 million BC, the dinosaurs went extinct when a space freighter filled with anti-matter, which had travelled back in time from the 26th century, crashed into Earth. (TV: Earthshock [+]Loading...["Earthshock (TV story)"])
At some point in his life, Jack Harkness had to survive on the carcasses of dinosaurs. They were the only source of cooked meat after an asteroid hit. (TV: Fragments [+]Loading...["Fragments (TV story)"])
Modern times
A female tyrannosaur was accidentally transported to the Victorian London when the TARDIS of the Twelfth Doctor got stuck in her throat. Her presence alerted the local authorities and led to the involvement of the Paternoster Gang to solve the situation. Eventually, the T-rex was killed and burnt by the Half-Face Man in order to steal her optic nerve. (TV: Deep Breath [+]Loading...["Deep Breath (TV story)"])
In the 1960s, a mad scientist in New York City used a chemical to bring life-sized dinosaur statues to life as part of his plan to liberate zoo animals. The Second Doctor created an antidote which reversed the process. (COMIC: The Monsters from the Past [+]Loading...["The Monsters from the Past (comic story)"])
In the 1970s, as a part of Operation Golden Age, Whitaker used time eddys to transport various dinosaurs from their home time to central London in his present day. These included tyrannosaurus, apatosaurus, triceratops and pterodactyl. The appearances prompted the evacuation of eight million people and the instigation of martial law.
The Third Doctor captured one dinosaur, a tyrannosaurus, but it was freed by General Finch, who was participating in the operation. After Whitaker and his co-conspirator, Sir Charles Grover, were sent back in time, the dinosaurs ceased appearing. (TV: Invasion of the Dinosaurs [+]Loading...["Invasion of the Dinosaurs (TV story)"])
The Sanctified farmed dinosaurs as livestock. Numerous dinosaur livestock of the Sanctified (including Brachiosaurids, ankylosaurus and a baryonyx) came through the Cardiff Space-Time Rift to Cardiff in 2008. The Torchwood Three team were ultimately able to capture the dinosaurs and send them back through a rift storm to where they came from.
When Vox absorbed the power of the Cardiff Rift, the Sanctified sent several dinosaurs to Barry to try and stop him. However, Vox easily obliterated the dinosaurs with the power of the Rift. (COMIC: Rift War! [+]Loading...["Rift War! (comic story)"])
In 2008, Majenta Pryce featured dinosaurs as one of the exhibits in the Hotel Historia. (COMIC: Hotel Historia [+]Loading...["Hotel Historia (comic story)"])
In 2010, dinosaurs were among the prehistoric creatures brought through time into Sydney by chronal waves released by the SKARDIS. They later froze to death when another chronal wave brought ice from the Ice Age into Sydney. (COMIC: The Age of Ice [+]Loading...["The Age of Ice (comic story)"])
In the 21st century, Professor Saurian used a "roll-back machine" to bring dinosaurs from the Jurassic to New York City. The Eleventh Doctor was able to send him and the dinosaurs back in time. (COMIC: Dinosaurs in New York! [+]Loading...["Dinosaurs in New York! (comic story)"])
The Silurian Ark was found by the Pirate Solomon, who woke up the dinosaurs to sell them and ejected the Silurians from the ship. He was unable to pilot the ship and accidentally caused it to return to Earth in 2367, causing missiles to be fired at it. The Eleventh Doctor diverted its course and sent the dinosaurs aboard to the planet Siluria, while Solomon was killed when his ship was hit by the missiles. (TV: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship [+]Loading...["Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (TV story)"])
Dinosaurs were found in the rooms of the Hotel Historia, a time travelling hotel chain. (COMIC: Hotel Historia [+]Loading...["Hotel Historia (comic story)"])
In the 41st century, Wumba's World of Wild featured genetically bred dinosaurs co-existing with humans for the entertainment of tourists. (COMIC: Save the Humans! [+]Loading...["Save the Humans! (comic story)"]) When the Nun sabotaged George Sheldrake's time portals, dinosaurs were brought to the 41st century upon their activation. The Tenth Doctor managed to repair the damage and return the creatures to their own time. (AUDIO: The Wrong Woman [+]Loading...["The Wrong Woman (audio story)"])
EarthWorld had dinosaurs, but due to historical inaccuracies they were placed with humans. (PROSE: EarthWorld [+]Loading...["EarthWorld (novel)"])
Alternate timelines
In one alternate timeline, bodies of dinosaurs were found frozen in ice. They were exhibited in the National Museum. (TV: The Big Bang [+]Loading...["The Big Bang (TV story)"])
In another timeline, the Silurians were victorious over the humans and conquered the Earth. They brought back species of extinct dinosaurs. (PROSE: Blood Heat [+]Loading...["Blood Heat (novel)"])
When trapped in the Jurassic period, Professor Saurian set up a shield to protect Earth from impacts. Instead of humans evolving, intelligent dinosaurs did. However, the Doctor used his watch to hypnotise Saurian into releasing his telepathic hold on the dinosaurs, who promptly rampaged, destroying the machine. (COMIC: Dino World [+]Loading...["Dino World (comic story)"])
At some point in the 21st century, Amy Pond was transformed into a dinosaur as a result of the Eleventh Doctor causing a galactic space-war at the dawn of human civilisation, which changed the course of human history every time something exploded. (COMIC: Short-Change [+]Loading...["Short-Change (comic story)"])
In an alternate timeline where the Cybermen joined forces with Rassilon, the Cyber-Silurians used partially upgraded dinosaurs as war beasts. (COMIC: Supremacy of the Cybermen [+]Loading...["Supremacy of the Cybermen (comic story)"])
Types of Dinosaurs
Though there were many species of dinosaurs, (PROSE: The Last Dodo [+]Loading...["The Last Dodo (novel)"]) the Doctor only encountered a few species in their travels.
Similar creatures
On many other planets, creatures similar to the dinosaurs of Earth evolved.
The First Doctor, John and Gillian visited an unnamed asteroid which was home to a large, four-legged dinosaur-like creature. Upon encountering it, they took refuge in a nearby spacecraft, where they met Grig. (COMIC: The Therovian Quest [+]Loading...["The Therovian Quest (comic story)"])
The planet Mondas, Earth's twin planet, also had dinosaur species at one stage of its development. Early in their history, the Cybermen partially cyber-converted dinosaurs and on some occasions, used them as mounts. (COMIC: The Cybermen)
The planet Gallifrey had dinosaur-like species called Gargantosaurs. (COMIC: The Stolen TARDIS [+]Loading...["The Stolen TARDIS (comic story)"])
On one planet, "cavemen" co-existed with dinosaurs, and the men hunted them. Far later on in this planet's history, evolution brought back dinosaur-like creatures, which became the dominant, though River Song noted these were more accurately large lizards. (AUDIO: Slight Glimpses of Tomorrow [+]Loading...["Slight Glimpses of Tomorrow (audio story)"])
The planet Quorus was home to tyrannosaur-like creatures. The Master took some eggs from Quorus and brought them to Earth, where he hatched a creature and used it in his plan to take over Earth. The Third Doctor disrupted the Master's control over the creature, which died when it touched a live electrode. (PROSE: Doctor Who Fights Masterplan "Q" [+]Loading...["Doctor Who Fights Masterplan \"Q\" (short story)"])
The Dalek home planet Skaro was also home to creatures that resembled dinosaurs, specifically the Triceratops but with only one horn. They were normally peaceful herbivores but would attack Daleks on sight. The Third Doctor and Finney used a herd of these to destroy a group of Daleks that had taken them to Skaro. (COMIC: The Planet of the Daleks [+]Loading...["The Planet of the Daleks (comic story)"])
The planet Spekra was home to friendly, dinosaur-like creatures, similar in appearance to the Apatosaurus. Having very keen hearing, two of the creatures were summoned by the First Doctor's ultrasonic device to break down the prison walls and take the prisoners back to their spacecraft. Although Gritog's men shot at the creatures, their thick skins protected them from harm. (COMIC: Prisoners of Gritog [+]Loading...["Prisoners of Gritog (comic story)"])
The homeworld of the Spidrons was another planet inhabited by dinosaur-like creatures. One of these which resembled a pterodactyl, attacked the Third Doctor shortly after he arrived. Another, a tyrannosaur-like creature, stepped on some Spidrons that were pursuing the Doctor and Arnold. (COMIC: Nova [+]Loading...["Nova (TVC comic story)"])
A previously warlike race known as the Sanctified became dinosaur farmers on their home planet. (COMIC: Rift War! [+]Loading...["Rift War! (comic story)"])
Professor Saurian's world had creatures like dinosaurs. (COMIC: Extinction Event [+]Loading...["Extinction Event (comic story)"], Dinosaurs in New York! [+]Loading...["Dinosaurs in New York! (comic story)"], Dino World [+]Loading...["Dino World (comic story)"])
The Eleventh Doctor told River Song he was late for their date because he encountered a giant space dinosaur in the Dundra system and claimed it was typical of that area. (COMIC: Pond Life [+]Loading...["Pond Life (comic story)"])
Due to a fracture in time caused by the Time War, dinosaurs on Traxis coexisted with mammoths, neanderthals and robots. (COMIC: Weapons of Past Destruction [+]Loading...["Weapons of Past Destruction (comic story)"])
Minor references
The Second Doctor at one point hoped to see "prehistoric monsters". (TV: The Underwater Menace [+]Loading...["The Underwater Menace (TV story)"]) He later compared the Saurians to "ancient Earth dinosaurs." (PROSE: Lords of the Galaxy [+]Loading...["Lords of the Galaxy (short story)"])
The Doctor later referenced Operation Golden Age on a number of occasions. He did so in his newly regenerated fourth incarnation, (TV: Robot [+]Loading...["Robot (TV story)"]) and later in his seventh incarnation, to Ace, to the latter's awe. (TV: The Happiness Patrol [+]Loading...["The Happiness Patrol (TV story)"]) Sarah Jane Smith also boasted of this incident to Rose Tyler. (TV: School Reunion [+]Loading...["School Reunion (TV story)"]) The Doctor later in his eleventh incarnation mentioned dinosaurs to Amy Pond as an example of what you could find on the London Underground. (GAME: City of the Daleks [+]Loading...["City of the Daleks (video game)"])
The Eighth Doctor and Charley Pollard once spent a day placing wagers on dinosaur fights. (AUDIO: Memory Lane [+]Loading...["Memory Lane (audio story)"])
On Deimos in the 23rd century, the Eighth Doctor told his former companion Lucie Miller that he loved dinosaurs. (AUDIO: The Resurrection of Mars [+]Loading...["The Resurrection of Mars (audio story)"])
Donna Noble believed that Torchwood's laser drilling to the centre of the Earth might have had something to do with dinosaurs, mentioning "[t]hat film under the Earth with dinosaurs." (TV: The Runaway Bride [+]Loading...["The Runaway Bride (TV story)"])
The Tenth Doctor described the Steggosians as fascist dinosaur people. (PROSE: The [+]Loading...["The Eyeless (novel)","The"])
When he entered the Doctor's TARDIS in 2009, Clyde asked if they could go back in time and see the dinosaurs, but Sarah Jane Smith refused. (TV: The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith [+]Loading...["The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith (TV story)"])
When Jorjie Turner suggested using the Space-Time Manipulator to travel through time, Darius Pike argued that it was dangerous and a dinosaur could come out and tear them apart before they could get to the front door. (TV: Liberation [+]Loading...["Liberation (TV story)"])
When time travelling, Oliver Harper expected to see Shoreditch in the "time of the dinosaurs." (AUDIO: The Cold Equations [+]Loading...["The Cold Equations (audio story)"])
George Litefoot compared the Venusian Shanghorn to the dinosaurs of the Crystal Palace. (AUDIO: Voyage to Venus [+]Loading...["Voyage to Venus (audio story)"])
The Twelfth Doctor was able to speak their language. (TV: Deep Breath [+]Loading...["Deep Breath (TV story)"])
After the Twelfth Doctor's mind was connected to a mind scythe, the "holiday snaps" the Doctor showed Kygon Brox included a Tyrannosaurus rex near Big Ben. (COMIC: The Instruments of War [+]Loading...["The Instruments of War (comic story)"])
When asked "what happened", the Twelfth Doctor referred to the Big Bang, dinosaurs and bipeds. (TV: The Girl Who Died [+]Loading...["The Girl Who Died (TV story)"])
When the Twelfth Doctor found Dracksil Forg's idea for "a theme park with dinosaurs", he asked Dracksil "what's so interesting about dinosaurs? They’re just big lizards with anger issues." (AUDIO: The Best-Laid Plans [+]Loading...["The Best-Laid Plans (audio story)"])
Alice Obiefune and the Eleventh Doctor visited a dinosaur civilisation together. (COMIC: Whodunnit? [+]Loading...["Whodunnit? (comic story)"])
Sarah Jane owned a book entitled The Big Book of Dinosaurs. (TV: Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? [+]Loading...["Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? (TV story)"])
Dinosaurs were filed in the Fourth Doctor's memory files. (COMIC: Doctor Who and the Iron Legion [+]Loading...["Doctor Who and the Iron Legion (comic story)"])
In the Unbound Universe, Ross Brimmicombe-Wood informed the Doctor that the Brigadier had concocted a "mad story about dinosaurs" to explain why there was now a lake in the middle of London. Enraged, the Brigadier explained, again, to Wood that Mike Yates had time travelled back to the era of the Silurians and detonated nuclear warheads to render them extinct before they could awaken in the human era and unleash their dinosaurs. (AUDIO: Sympathy for the Devil [+]Loading...["Sympathy for the Devil (audio story)"])
Behind the scenes
- Radio Times photographed Carole Ann Ford in front of the dinosaur statues in the Crystal Palace for the 10th Anniversary special. The cover of Doctor Who Magazine Issue 162 was Sophie Aldred with the Iguanodons. Issue 221's cover image came from the Radio Times photo shoot.
- Several types of dinosaur as seen in Dinosaurs on a Spaceship appear as enemies in the video game Doctor Who: Legacy, including pterodactyls, velociraptor, triceratops, ankylosaurus and a "Giant Ankylosaurus".
