Fossil Evidence Reveals Tyrannosaur Cannibalism and Scavenging Behavior

New research published in the journal Evolving Earth reveals that tyrannosaurs engaged in scavenging and cannibalism, challenging their image as solely active apex predators. Led by Josephine Nielsen from Aarhus University, the study utilized high-resolution 3D scanning technology to analyze a 75-million-year-old fossilized metatarsal found in Montana. The analysis identified 16 distinct bite marks on the foot bone of a large tyrannosaur, inflicted by a smaller relative. The absence of healing signs and the location of the bites on a low-meat area indicate the smaller dinosaur was feeding on an already dead carcass, effectively cleaning up remaining scraps. This discovery highlights the opportunistic nature of tyrannosaurs, showing they did not waste food resources even during late stages of decay. The study demonstrates how modern digital modeling and systematic classification methods can extract detailed behavioral insights from ancient fossils, providing a clearer understanding of dinosaur food chains and ecological interactions during the Late Cretaceous period.