Never before seen in North America, the two Fighting Dinosaurs are a fierce Velociraptor that died apparently locked in combat with a plant-eating, shield-headed Protoceratops. Also on view are many new specimens from Mongolia, some of the most complete theropod dinosaurs ever found, nesting dinosaurs, and some of the finest lizard and mammal fossils ever discovered. These specimens, discovered in Mongolia's famed Gobi Desert, have enhanced our understanding of life there 80 million years ago, and they shed new light on the rise of modern bird and mammal groups.

The exhibition showcases research by Museum and Mongolian Academy of Sciences paleontologists over the last ten years, and reflects the most current thinking on dinosaur traits, behavior, and evolutionary links to birds. A few specimens, including Velociraptor and Oviraptor, are on view near fleshed-out models, complete with feathers — the presence of which is based on recent discoveries in China from just two years ago.

Photos © AMNH