Ibrahimworksslowlyand carefully.

OntheTrail

Itwascrazy.Ibrahimknewthat.Fiveyearshadpassed.Ibrahimdidn’tknowthefossilhunter’snameoraddress.Allheknewwasthathehadamustache.Still,ifhecouldfindhim,maybehecouldfindSpinosaurus.


IbrahimtraveledbacktothesmalltowninMorocco.Dayswentbywithoutsuccess.Hisspirits sank.

OnhislastdayinMorocco,Ibrahimsatwithtwofriendsinacafé.Helookedup.Atallmanwearingwhitepassedby.Themanlookedfamiliar.And,hehada mustache!


Ibrahimleapedupandchasedafterhim.Itwasthefossilhunter!Wouldthefossilhunterleadhimtothe fossils?

IbrahimwasledintothedeserttofindSpinosaurus.

IbrahimworkedwithateamtouncoverSpinosaurusbones.

Discovery!

Themanwiththemustachelistenedclosely.HeagreedtoleadIbrahimtowherehe’dfoundthe fossils.


Thenextday,thetwomendroveintotheSahara.Theyclimbedasteepslopeonfoot.Nearthetop,theyreachedasmallcave.Thiswaswherethefossilhunterhadbeen digging.


Ibrahimpickedawayatsomeofthesandandrock.Withinminutes,hediscoveredseveralbones.Atlast,hehadfoundSpinosaurus!

BuildingtheBeast

Manylargedinosaursseemedtohavelivedinthisareaatthesametime.Weretheycompetingforthesameprey?Ifso,howdidSpinosaurussurvive?Ibrahimhada hypothesis.


Toproveit,hehadtoconductanexperiment.RecreateSpinosaurus.Hedidn’thaveallthepieces.But,hehadenoughtogetstarted.Hismethodwastomakeadigitalmodelonthecomputerbasedonwhatheknew.Withotherscientists,hemadeaskinforhismodel.Itlookeddifferentfromother dinosaurs.

ThisSpinosaurusfootbonewasfoundatthedig site.

Spinosaurus’ headwaslongand thin.

Ibrahim’s conclusionwasthatthisdinosaurspentmostofitstimeinwater.Itslongtailhelpedpropelit.Itswebbedfeethelpeditpaddle.Highnostrilsallowedittokeepitsheadunderwaterwhileithunted.Itwasabletoexistwithotherdinosaursbecauseithuntedinthe water.

MakingaModel

Spinosaurus’ neckandbodywerelongerthanthoseofotherdinosaurs.Ithadshorthindlegsandpowerfulforearms.Itsbackfeetwerewideandflat.ToIbrahim,theylookedlikepaddles.Theskullhadalongsnout.Yet,itsnostrilswerehalfwayuptheskull.Andthentherewasthesail.Itwaslongand high.

Spinosaurus’ wide,backfeetmayhavebeenwebbed, ​​​​​​​whichwouldhavehelpedit swim.