Gallimimus, the "Chicken Mimic," 
looks very much like an ostrich
and moves like one too. At over
two meters tall and six meters long,
this interesting dinosaur was not 
much taller than a human but was 
much longer and faster. Its long 
limbs and strong, hollow bones 
assisted in very fast running, 
which helped it get from place to 
place and escape predators if need 
be. Its long, stiff tail served as a 
counterbalance while running. Unlike
other members of its family Ornitho-
mimidae, it had short hands and an
elongated skull due to its long 
snout. However, like other ornitho-
mimids, Gallimimus was covered with
a handsome coat of feathers, 
complete with wing-like arms.

Gallimimus fossils are found in 
Mongolia's Nemegt Formation, a geo-
logical formation from the late
Cretaceous Period. The environment
of this formation was originally
humid floodplains, rivers, and 
lakes. It featured a wide variety of
animal life and a rich amount of 
plant life, which was plenty of food 
to support omnivorous Gallimimus. 
Gallimimus' diet likely consisted of 
mostly high-fiber vegetation, but 
may have occassionally included
small animals that it could swallow 
whole. Although it may have eaten
meat, it certainly was not the top
of the food chain; its long legs 
would have come in handy escaping 
from the local tyrannosaurids.
