Velociraptor Info
Velociraptors are a smaller carnivorous dinosaur that lived in what is now modern-day Asia about 75 million years ago in the cretaceous period. These dinosaurs were bipedal and while once thought to be completely covered in scales like a lizard is now thought to have been covered in feathers. Velociraptors were about 4.9 to 6.8 feet long and weighed about 31 to 43 pounds. They are known for their long claws on their hind legs used to catch prey. The velociraptor gets its name from the Latin words velox meaning swift and raptor meaning robber which means the velociraptor's name translates to “swift thief”.
Feathers vs No feathers
In many depictions of the velociraptor, they are shown to be featherless, the most famous of these is the Jurassic Park movie, however this depiction has been shown to be inaccurate. In 2007 a fossil was discovered that showed evidence of the velociraptor having feathers. While they did in fact have feathers and wings, they were thought to be flightless due to their size. However, their wings could have been used for things like protecting their nests and helping them be more aerodynamic when running. It is thought that ancestors of the velociraptors could fly.