The Retort

Metra Event Allows Audience to “Walk with Dinosaurs”

March 26th, 2010 by Stephanie Miezerski For The Retort

Before the buffalo roamed or the antelope played, another creature ruled the plains of Montana: dinosaurs. And after 65 million years, we will finally get the chance to cross paths with some of Earth’s largest inhabitants.

The Rimrock Auto Arena at Metrapark is hosting the spectacular theatrical production of the renowned BBC series “Walking with Dinosaurs,” which conjures up out of extinction 17 life-size dinosaurs to awe and amaze the audience. The show will lend a glimpse into the Mesozoic period, replicating flora and fauna alike. Beginning March 31 and running through April 3, there will be a total of seven performances. Audience members will be able to see the dinosaurs move, roar, and struggle for survival as they learn about the awesome lives of the monstrous beasts.

The show is a grandiose tribute to a region that is rich in dinosaur history and fossils. Through the sands of time, these ancient relics are the only reminders of the beings that once ruled the planet. Montana has been a haven for dinosaur fossils, and the “Montana Dinosaur Trail” boasts 15 different museums spanning the state that are home to dinosaur exhibits, some housing fully restored skeletons. Starting in Choteau and hitting cities like Havre, Bozeman, and Malta, the trail goes as far east as Ekalaka.

Montana has also proven to be a hot spot for rare finds. A brachylophosaurus (duck-billed dinosaur) nick-named “Leonardo” found in 2002 was only the fourth dinosaur fossil in the world to be regarded as a “mummy”, due to its extensive preservation of soft tissue. This includes skin, scales, muscle, and the pads of its feet. Though the tissue has decayed, it has been replaced by mineral, which mummified the body extraordinarily well. Paleontologists were ecstatic to have the opportunity to study these parts, as they lend a window to better understanding the true anatomy of the creatures.

A new species of Sauropod, Suuwassea emilieae, was discovered in 2004, along what used to be Montana’s coastline (150 million years ago), and in 2009, a husband and wife team excavating in Central Montana unearthed a new species of ankylosaur, a dinosaur that was built like a tank, with head-to-tail armor.

Yet the area is best-known for its array of unusual and astounding Tyrannosaurus Rex fossils. In 2005, a discovery team excavated a female T. rex skeleton that yielded bone tissue which was estrogen-derived. This led scientists to discover important links between the fossilized tissue and substances involved in the production of eggshells in birds. Such a discovery provides a definitive link between the two species. At the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman the world’s largest T. rex skull is on display, measuring in at 5 feet long. Uncovered in the 1960s, the colossal skull was found in the Hell Creek Formation near Billings.

While dinosaurs once thundered across the face of the state we call home, we can now only piece together the remnants they left behind. The upcoming show at the Metra lets us see how important these discoveries are in constructing a picture of the ancient world.

“Walking with Dinosaurs: The Arena Spectacular” gives us a rare chance to peer into this world. As far as I can tell, this will be the closest we will ever get.

The first performance is Wednesday, March 31 at 7pm. Tickets are on sale now at the Metra, and can also be purchased online at the Metra Park website or by calling the box office at 406-256-2422. Prices range from $22.50 to $55.00 each.