Dinosaurs in the Ark
Dinosaurs (land vertebrates) were represented on the Ark. In Genesis 6:19–20, the Bible says that two of every sort of land vertebrate (seven of the “clean” animals) were brought by God to the Ark. And we have evidence that dinosaurs lived after the flood because Job writes about the “behemoth” in Job 40:15–24.
How Did They Fit in the Ark?
Although there are about 668 names of dinosaurs, there are perhaps only 55 different “kinds” of them. Furthermore, not all dinosaurs were huge like the brachiosaurus, and those creatures that were taken on board were probably very young in age. Young dinosaurs would be small, easier to care of, and would use less food. The marine creatures did not get into the vessel but remained outside in the waters the covered the earth.
Creationist researcher John Woodmorappe has calculated that Noah had on board with him representatives from about 8,000 animal genera, or around 16,000 individual animals as a maximum number.
According to Genesis 6:15 , the Ark measured 300 x 50 x 30 cubits, which is about 510 x 85 x 51 feet, with a volume of about 2.21 million cubic feet. Researchers have shown that this is the equivalent volume of over 500 semitrailers of space. So, 16,000 plus animals would have fit in much less than half the space in the Ark.
After the Flood, many parts of the world became too harsh for the dinosaurs. The Flood and the changes it caused in the environment are the main reason that these creatures died off. And because humans feared them, they hunted them out until they got extinct. It was not just these creatures that died off. Great numbers of other creatures have become extinct. In fact, in the last 350 years alone, almost 400 species have disappeared.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
