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Each state in the US is unique and has its one set of things that make it stand out from the rest. As a recognition of this, states will choose official state things that, for whatever reason, they want to represent them. For example, most states have official state mammals, official state birds, official state plants, and much more.
Some states, however, have taken this to a whole new (and much cooler) level by choosing official state dinosaurs. While fewer than half of the states have them at this point, it is a fun addition to the lineup that can help encourage people to learn more about dinosaurs and why they were chosen.
The first state to have an official state dinosaur was Colorado, which made the Stegosaurus its dino of choice way back in 1982. The Stegosaurus is one of the most commonly known dinosaurs, and back in 1982, it was one of comparatively few dinosaurs know to have existed. With its spikey back that looks at least something like the mountains that run through the state, this seems like a perfect choice.
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The next state to create an official state dinosaur was New Jersey, which made it official in 1991. They picked the Hadrosaurus because it was shown to have lived in the Woodbury Formation, located in New Jersey, around 83.6 to 77.9 million years ago.
The Hadrosaurus is a large animal that was 7-8 meters (23-26 feet) in length, weighing 2-4 tons.
Texas had the Astrodon as their state dinosaur from 1997 until 2009, but then they opted to change it to the Sauroposeidon. The Sauroposeidon is a fitting dinosaur for the large state of Texas because it was 16.5-18m (54-59 ft) in height, making it one of the tallest dinosaurs known. It also lived in the region in and around Texas, further making it a great choice.
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Washington was the most recent state to jump on this trend when they named the Sucisaurus its official dinosaur in 2023. The fossil for this dinosaur was just found in 2012 (making it the first found in Washington state). Oddly, this is not the official name for the dinosaur since it is possible that the fossil isn’t actually from a new species, but is rather part of a tyrannosaur.
In total, there are 17 dinosaurs that are officially recognized as a state dinosaur (well, 16 plus the Capitalsaurus, which is the state dinosaur of Washington DC). It is likely that other states will join this trend in the future as it is a fun way to add something unique to their culture.
It is also one of relatively few things that legislatures can do that isn’t controversial these days.
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