Over 100 species of plants and animals lived in North Dakota and the rest of western North America 60 million years ago. Small mammals were evolving and scampering through the trees. Crocodiles, alligators, and snapping turtles ruled the watering holes. Underwater, large carnivorous fish and an odd holdover from the dinosaur times swam among the weeds. Insects, trees, subtropical brush were everywhere. The world without dinosaurs was far from a world without life.

Find out about your favorite plant or animal in Andy's Journal!

Andy Redline was the Director of the Paleontology Program here at the Science Museum of Minnesota.