Mongolian Azhdarchid/Segments

## Mongolian AzhdarchidIndeterminate Species

* Deserts II
* Deserts IV
* Freshwater I
* Swamps I

## Presence

* Deserts (Segment 2)
	+ 5 adults
* Deserts (Segment 4)
	+ Several adults
* Freshwater (Segment 1)
	+ Several juveniles
* Badlands (Segment 4)
	+ 1 adult
* Swamps (Segment 1)
	+ Several juveniles
* Could Giant Pterosaurs Really Hunt on the Ground?
	+ Stock footage from Freshwater
* What Else Lived Alongside The Dinosaurs?
	+ Stock footage from Freshwater

 Main **Segments**

MainSegments

These are Prehistoric Planet segments which feature the **Mongolian Azhdarchid**.

## Deserts

### Segment 2

**Deserts**, Segment II
**Setting**
Nemegt Formation, Gobi Desert, Mongolia
In the second segment of Deserts, a flock of azhdarchids are shown flying in circles over a rotting sauropod carcass, but due to the presence of four *Tarbosauruses* surrounding the corpse, they cannot land down and scavenge on it. When the *Tarbosauruses* leave due to being accidentally awakened by a *Velociraptor* trying to hunt a lizard, the azhdarchids finally land down and strip what little flesh remains on the carcass.

### Segment 4

**Deserts**, Segment IV
**Setting**
Nemegt Formation, Gobi Desert, Mongolia

**Filming Location**
Namibia, Southern Africa
In the fourth segment of Deserts, a temporary oasis formed by rain attracts several animals of every kind from many miles away. While not focused on, a few of the Mongolian azhdarchids are briefly seen among the congregating animals.

## Freshwater

**Freshwater**, Segment I
**Setting**
Nemegt Formation, Gobi Desert, Mongolia

**Filming Location**
Palouse Falls, Washington, USA

The first segment of Freshwater takes place around a canyon carved up by a river. This area serves as the home of a colony of juvenile azhdarchids, already capable of flying hundreds of miles a day. Each evening, the pterosaurs, numbering in the thousands, roost by the narrow ledges surrounding a massive cliffside waterfall, taking refuge in this remote area that cannot be accessed by most terrestrial predators, save for one. A female *Velociraptor*, joined by two males, survey the area from the rocks atop the falls, planning to grab some pterosaurs before the end of the day.

***“ The pterosaurs are skittish. They would take to the air at the first sign of danger. If the Velociraptors are to get a meal, the element of surprise must be crucial. ”***

― **David Attenborough**, *Freshwater*
Aiming to snatch the pterosaurs resting on the margins of the colony, the *Velociraptors* make their way down the precarious cliffside, the roar of the waterfall drowning out the sounds of their movements and the rocks that break off and fall with every step. With the pterosaurs still unaware of their presence, the female leaps up a higher ledge, while the two males continue to go down the lower ledges.

With prey now within striking distance, the two males prepare to spring out, but the female launches her attack first, leaping down on a pterosaur (surprising the other pterosaurs in the process), grabbing it with her jaws and dragging it across the cliffside as both of them fall down on a lower ledge. She gets up, unhurt by the fall, and tries to twist and snap her prey's neck. The two males leap down, wanting a share of the catch, which is still alive and screeching in pain, but the female, unwilling to share, gets into a hissing fight with them. Suddenly, the thousands of pterosaurs resting all over the canyon, now aware of the assault, screech and swoop in to mob the dromaeosaurs, which try to leap and fight back.

***“ She has one. But now the whole colony is alarmed. In the chaos, her victim slips from the ledge. The female puts the effectiveness of her feathered tail to the test, and, in the end, she gets her meal. The males are left to face the pterosaurs. ”***

― **David Attenborough**, *Freshwater*
As the *Velociraptors* and juvenile azhdarchids try to fight off each other, the attacked pterosaur slips off the cliff face. Seeing this, the female leaps off the ledge, using her agility and feathered tail to control her descent, leaping and rolling off the walls until she got to the bottom. With that, she grabbed the now-dead pterosaur which she worked hard to catch on her own and rushed out of the area, leaving the two males as they continue to try and fight off the azhdarchid colony.

## Badlands

By the end of the fourth, penultimate segment of Badlands, while the two juvenile *Tarchia* are drinking from a spring in a canyon they found in the middle of the desert, one azhdarchid is briefly seen passing over the canyon.

## Swamps

* Greenfield Lake Park, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
* Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA
* Black River, North Carolina, USA

**Swamps**, Segment I
**Setting**
Songliao Basin, Songnen Block, northeast China

**Filming Location**

* Greenfield Lake Park, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
* Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA
* Black River, North Carolina, USA

In the first segment of Swamps, on the islands of the vast swamplands of the northeast Asia, are newly-hatched juvenile azhdarchids. One female, only a few hours old, takes her first steps and practices flight within the safety of the hatching grounds. To feed, however, the young azhdarchids need to fly out of their sanctuary and make their way to the forests past the swamps, with the light breeze of the day providing some help with extra lift. One youngster flies off, but, with insufficient strength, it loses lift and lands in the water. As it resorts to just swimming all the way to the forest on the other side of the swamp, it is grabbed by a crocodilian creature.

***“ Shamosuchus. Fifteen feet-long predators. This island might offer safety, but the surrounding waters certainly do not. If their takeoff isn't perfect, it's difficult to gain height. And this is not high enough. ”***

― **David Attenborough**, *Swamps*
Sensing an incoming feast, several *Shamosuchus* emerge from the mangroves, closing in on the island of the youngsters. More hatchlings attempt to fly for the forest, but some fly too low and get grabbed in midair, while others splash into the swamp and become easy pickings either way. Some of the stronger fliers were close to reaching the forest, while others are still hesitant to take off. Staying on the island is not an option, however, as one *Shamosuchus* clambers up onto land and begins chasing the female juvenile from earlier. Left with no choice, she runs for the edge of the island and take flight. Appearing to be successful at first, the juvenile slowly loses height, but still seems to be close to her destination. Suddenly, a *Shamosuchus* springs out of the water and almost grabs her, the impact causing the juvenile to plummet into the water, forcing her to swim the rest of the way to the forest, the *Shamosuchus* right on her tail. Upon reaching land, the crocodilian continues to go after her, but she manages to run off and finally evade her pursuer by taking flight once again, going further inland before landing on a rock, safe at last.

***“ A near-miraculous escape. And now, the chance to collect her rewards. In these rich swamp forests, there's all the food she needs. ”***

― **David Attenborough**, *Swamps*
Seeing a lizard scampering across the roots of the trees, the young azhdarchid pursues it and snaps it up. In this forest, she and the rest of the survivors will grow, with plenty of food around them. The feeding opportunity over, one *Shamosuchus*, flies buzzing and walking atop its head, submerges back to the depths of the swamp.

## Prehistoric Planet: Uncovered - Could Giant Pterosaurs Really Hunt on the Ground?

  **Could Giant Pterosaurs Really Hunt on the Ground?**
**Subject**
Where and how azhdarchid pterosaurs preferred to hunt, and their competency in terrestrial locomotion.

**Experts**
Dr. Mark Witton, Dr. Darren Naish
The segment, briefly featuring footage of the azhdarchid juveniles from Freshwater, brings special attention to what may be considered the weirdest of the pterosaurs, the azhdarchids. Despite their size, they are stated to be well-adapted for taking flight. The question at hand is why it is believed they can hunt on the ground.

## Prehistoric Planet: Uncovered - What Else Lived Alongside The Dinosaurs?

  **What Else Lived Alongside The Dinosaurs?**
**Subject**
The other weird and wonderful creatures that lived alongside the dinosaurs, from *Beelzebufo*, marine reptiles, and pterosaurs, to their successors, mammals.

**Experts**
Dr. Darren Naish, Dr. Marc Jones, Dr. Mark Witton, Professor Anjali Goswami
In this Uncovered segment, which goes over the many animals that lived alongside the dinosaurs, the pterosaurs are brought up as masters of the skies, following the part dedicated to *Mosasaurus*, the "greatest marine predators of all time". Footage of *Barbaridactylus* from Deserts, as well as the juvenile azhdarchids and *Quetzalcoatlus* from Freshwater are shown, lauded as "the very first animals with backbones to fly".

***“ They were not just very big, they also had a skull that was about three meters long and ended in giant, stabby jaws. If you were Tyrannosaurus, you would probably think twice about approaching an animal that dangerous. ”***

― **Dr. Darren Naish**, *Lead Scientific Consultant*
More focus is brought to them with footage of the pair of *Quetzalcoatlus* harassing a *T. rex* in North America, to drive home how the largest can pose a threat to even the deadliest of predatory dinosaurs. The pterosaurs, along with many other impressive creatures that lived alongside the dinosaurs, were not like anything alive today, though, as shown by the next part, dedicated to mammals like *Adalatherium*, there were also some other animals that might seem a little bit more familiar.

## Trivia

### Freshwater

* The basis for the events of the first segment of Freshwater came in the form of an azhdarchid long bone in a *Velociraptor's* stomach, direct evidence that the dromaeosaur at least scavenged the remains of azhdarchid pterosaurs in the area.
* Of all the segments *Velociraptor* appeared in (not counting its Uncovered segment, Did *Velociraptor* Have Feathers?), this is the only one where it did not eat its prey onscreen. Instead, the female runs off with her kill to eat it elsewhere.

## References

### General

1. ↑ BTS: Apple TV+'s Prehistoric Planet
2. ↑ Pterosaurs as a food source for small dromaeosaurs

### Prehistoric Planet

1. ↑ Those close-ups are where it all lives and breathes
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 I Know Dino: The Big Dinosaur Podcast, Episode 445: Dinosaurs in Swamps: Featuring Prehistoric Planet 2