While not as famous as its American cousin Tyrannosaurus, Tarbosaurus was an amazing creature in its own right. Being the apex predator of Cretaceous Asia, this large predator roamed the deserts and scrub lands, searching for prey to snap up in its strong jaws.

Basic info

Meaning of name: Tarbosaurus means "alarming lizard".

Time of existence: Tarbosaurus lived during the late Cretaceous, 100.5 million to 66 million years ago.

Diet: Tarbosaurus was a carnivore, much like its relatives, and fed on the many dinosaurs that lived around them, including Saurolophus, Mononykus, and occassionally Therizinosaurus.

Threats: Although Tarbosaurus was the top predator, some of their prey could occasionally do major damage to them, such as Therizinosaurus clawing them, or even ankylosaurs with their tail clubs, though Tarbosaurus preferred to avoid them.

Size: Tarbosaurus could grow anywhere from 33 to 39 feet long.

Attributes: Tarbosaurus' primary weapon was its head and sharp teeth. They used their powerful heads to bite down on their prey with an extremely powerful bite force. Their small arms were also surprisingly strong, and most likely assisted the predator with getting up. Their legs were also quite muscular, and they were able to run fairly quick for short periods of time. Their eyesight was also quite good, though their American cousin's was far superior.

A promotional image showing Tarbosaurus chasing Nigel

Appearances in the Walking with... series

Chased by Dinosaurs

Tarbosaurus appears in the brief opening of the show, where it walks in front of Nigel and leans down in front of him to investigate.

Episode 1-The Giant Claw

Tarbosaurus first appears in the openning synopsis, where it is seen fighting a Therizinosaurus. In the actual episode, Tarbosaurus first appears when Nigel arrives in a scrub land, stalking for food. As the giant predator looks around, it approaches Nigel's hiding spot, and stops next to it, smelling the air. Luckily, it doesn't pick up their scent and walks away, moving further into the scrub land searching for food. Nigel states that it was a thrill to see the top predator, and that its huge mouth and teeth were for ripping out chunks of flesh.

A Tarbosaurus searching for food

When Nigel finds a lake, he notices the footprints of a Tarbosaurus. After he and his crew are chased into the forest by a pack of Velociraptors, Nigel hears a commotion by the lake, and hides as he notices a Tarbosaurus arriving at the lake to get a drink. Nigel watches as the predator prepares to drink before a strange roar sounds, and the Tarbosaurus roars. A Therizinosaurus arrives at the lake, and the Tarbosaurus approaches the herbivore while roaring, challenging it. A fight breaks out, with the Tarbosaurus attempting to bite the Therizinosaurus' neck. At one point, the two giants back up near Nigel's hiding spot, and Tarbosaurus nearly crushes Nigel. The fight comes to a conclusion when the Terizinosaurus slashes the Tarbosaurus across the face. The predator roars before turning around and leaving the lake, a large scratch on its face.

Tarbosaurus vs. Therizinosaurus

Episode 2-Land of Giants

Tarbosaurus only appears in the opening synopsis, where it is seen fighting the Therizinosaurus.

Chased by Sea Monsters

Episode 1-Dangerous Seas

Tarbosaurus appears in the opening of the episode, where it is seen pursuing Nigel across a wetland. Eventually, Nigel finds himself at the edge of a cliff, and the Tarbosaurus corners him. Having no other choice, Nigel leaps into the water, the Tarbosaurus roaring in frustration as it can't follow.

Tarbosaurus chases Nigel in Chased by Sea Monster

Episode 3-To Hell...and Back?

Tarbosaurus briefly appears in the opening recap, roaring as Nigel leaps into the water.