Name: Falcarius (Greek for "sickle bearer"); pronounced fal-cah-RYE-us
Habitat: Woodlands of North America
Historical Period: Early Cretaceous (130-125 million years ago)
Size and Weight: About 13 feet long and 500-1,000 pounds
Diet: Plants
Distinguishing Characteristics: Long tail and neck; long claws on hands
About Falcarius:
In 2005, paleontologists unearthed a fossil treasure trove in Utah, the remains of hundreds of previously unknown, medium-sized dinosaurs with long necks and long, clawed hands. Analysis of these bones revealed something extraordinary: Falcarius, as the genus was soon named, was a theropod, technically a therizinosaur, that had evolved in the direction of a vegetarian lifestyle. The giveaways are this dinosaur's teeth, which were adapted to tearing vegetation, and its unusually large gut. Like other small- to medium-sized theropods, Falcarius is believed to have sported a coat of feathers, and may represent yet another link in the long chain connecting dinosaurs and birds. Its closest relative was another bizarre dinosaur, the larger Therizinosaurus.
THE DIRECTIONS:
Start at posted coordinates and continue walking up the trail another 110 PACES (not to much to see). Once there look for two sweet heart trees, the larger one will be on the LEFT, and smaller one on RIGHT. Continue walking another 120 PACES then STOP and in the distance, you'll see a tall BENT TREE hanging over the trail from the RIGHT. Keep walking and just before the BENT TREE is a large fallen tree laying parallel to the trail. STOP and look RIGHT (SOUTH WEST) just before the base there you'll see a pair of ancient tree stumps. Walk to the LEFT stump and on the ground is Falcarius.
**** Please be prepared this area can be very muddy at certain times of the year****
****Remember to follow all directions EXACTLY****
****Bring bug spray****
****Good Boots****
****Compass****
This cache is located within The Holliday Forest & Wildlife Preserve a part of the Wayne county park system. All caches are placed with permission. The Holliday Forest & Wildlife Preserve contains approximately 550 acres along the valley of what is known as Tonquish Creek in the northwest part of the County of Wayne.
This land was acquired by the County for the purpose of habitat preservation through the estate of Mr. Arthur J. Richardson, a Detroit Banker. Mr. Richardson, a philanthropist who died in 1938, stipulated in his will that the County establish a park in honor of his uncle William P. Holliday, who was a life long mentor.
It took over twenty years to assemble hundreds of little parcels that eventually became the Holliday Wildlife Preserve in 1958.
This three-mile section of the Tonquish Creek watershed is in its natural state, containing thickets, upland woods, wetlands and meadows. The foot trails that follow the streambed date back to the days of the Potowanami Indians who fished and trapped this rich land. Chief Tonquish was killed and buried on the lands within the preserve |