Re: T.rex predation

["Dictator-for-life Calvin" <MWEDEL@gslan.offsys.ou.edu>]

>There's also the possibility that the wounded animals were not the
>Tyrannosaur's
>hunting target. Maybe the wounded hadrosaurs  were just defending their
>nests or their young

Which would imply that the nests and young needed defending from 
tyrannosaurs, which implies that tyrannosaurs were out to eat them.  
Sounds like they were hunting targets after all (at least the 
younguns).

>Why not a scavenger/hunter of small(er) prey?

Something's been on my mind.  Why is the question always, "How do you 
know that tyrannosaurs were hunters instead of scavengers?"  I'd take 
one look at a tyrannosaur skeleton and ask, "What makes you think 
that they were scavengers instead of hunters?"  Is it the size?  Cuz 
if that's the case, given the existence of very large allosaurs from 
the Morrison (Epanterias, Saurophaganax), Acrocanthosaurus from the 
Antlers Formation, and let's not forget Giganotosaurus and 
Charcharodontosaurus (did I spell that right?), there are whole host 
of 40 foot, 5 ton scavengers roaming the Mesozoic landscape.  I know 
that Mesozoic and modern ecosystems are not directly comparable, but 
until someone proves to me that bears, tigers, lions, wolves, etc. are 
PRIMARILY scavengers and predation is not a significant part of their 
existence, I'll be highly skeptical of any claims that all of the 
largest Mesozoic terrestrial carnivores were PRIMARILY scavengers.

Well, that ought to drive the spit all the way through.  If you guys 
will just turn me from time to time . . .   : )

Matt Wedel