Ibrahimworksslowlyand carefully.

OntheTrail

Itwascrazy.Ibrahimknewthat.Fiveyearshadpassed.Hedidn’tknowthefossilhunter’snameoraddress.Allheknewwasthatthemanhadamustache.Thatwasn’tmuchtogoon.Still,Ibrahimwouldn’tletgooftheidea.Ifhecouldfindthefossilhunteragain,maybehecouldfind Spinosaurus.


IbrahimtraveledbacktothesmalltowninMoroccoand,againstallodds,beganhissearch.Dayswentbywithoutsuccess.Nooneseemedtoknowwhoorwherethefossilhunter was.

Timewasrunningout.Ibrahim’sspiritssank.Thetaskseemedimpossible.OnhislastdayinMorocco,Ibrahimsatwith twofriendsinasmallcafé,sippingtea.Hecouldfeelhisdreamslipping away.


Thensuddenly,helookedup.Atallman,wearingwhite,passedbyhistable.Themanlookedfamiliar,andhehada mustache.


Ibrahimleapedupandchasedafterhim.Ibrahim’sheartbeatwildly.Hecaughtuptothemanandlookedathisface.Itwasthefossilhunter!Now,ifonlythefossilhunterwouldleadhimtothe fossils.

IbrahimwasledintothedeserttofindSpinosaurus.

IbrahimworkedwithateamtouncoverSpinosaurusbones.

Discovery!

ThemanwiththemustachelistenedcloselytoIbrahim.HeunderstoodwhatIbrahimwastryingtodoandhowimportantitwas.HeagreedtoleadIbrahimtotheplacewherehehadfoundthe fossils.


Thenextday,thetwomendroveashortdistanceintotheSahara.Thenthefossilhunterstoppedtheirvehicle.Theywouldhavetomaketherestofthetriponfoot.Theyclimbedasteepslopethatcouldn’tbeseenfromthemainroad.Nearthetop,theyreachedwhatlookedlikeasmallcavecarvedintothehillside.Thiswaswherethefossilhunterhadbeen digging.


Trembling,Ibrahimclimbedintothehole.Hetookadeepbreath.Usingspecialtools,hegentlypickedawayatsomeofthesandandrock.Withinminutes,hediscoveredseveralbones.Ibrahimstudiedthebonesandsmiled.Atlast,hehadfound Spinosaurus!

BuildingtheBeast

Ibrahim’ssearchforSpinosauruswasover,buthisworkonthehillsidewasjustbeginning.Manylarge,predatorydinosaursseemedtohavelivedinthisareaatthesametime.Didthatmeantheywerecompetingforthesameprey?IbrahimbegantoformahypothesisforhowSpinosauruscouldhavelivedamongotherbigpredators.Toprovehistheory,though,hehadtoconductanexperiment.IbrahimhadtorecreateSpinosaurus.


First,hetookallthefossilshe’dgatheredandputthemtogethertoseewhatthisdinosaurmighthavelookedlike.Hedidn’thaveallthepieces,buthehadenoughtogetstarted.Hismethodwastocreateadigitalmodelonacomputerbasedonwhatheknewso far.


Then,workingwithotherscientists,hemadeaskinforhismodelskeleton.NowhehadacompleteSpinosaurus.Whathehadcreatedsurprisedhim.Itlookedverydifferentfromalltheotherdinosaurshehadever seen.

ThisSpinosaurusfootbonewasfoundatthedig site.

Spinosaurus’headwaslongand thin.

UntilIbrahimhadcreatedthismodel,scientistshadassumedthatSpinosaurusspentmostofitstimeonland.SeeingthewaythisdinosauractuallylookedmadeIbrahimrealizethatitprobablydidn’tspendmuchtime there.


Ibrahimmadeaconclusionthatthisdinosaurspentmostofitstimeinwater.Itslongtailmayhavehelpedpropelitthroughthewater.Spinosaurusprobablyhadwebbedfeetthatitusedtopaddlethroughwater.Highnostrilsallowedittokeepmostofitsheadunderwaterwhileithunted.ThisiswhySpinosauruscouldexistwiththeothermeat-eatingdinosaurs.Ithuntedinthe water.

MakingaModel

TheSpinosaurus’neckandbodywerelongerthanotherdinosaurs’.TheSpinosaurushadshorthindlegsandpowerfulforearms.Itsbackfeetwerewideandflat.ToIbrahim,theylooked
like paddles.


IbrahimstudiedSpinosaurus’skullclosely.Ithadalongsnout,butitsnostrilswerehalfwayuptheskull.Andthentherewasthesail.Itwasabout1.8meters(5.9feet)longandrosemorethan1.8meters
(5.9feet)fromits back.

Spinosaurus’wide,backfeetmayhavebeenwebbed,whichwouldhavehelpedit swim.