Poll: T-Rex - Predator or Scavenger?

[Toaster Hunter]

Think of it this way, a T-Rex was very big. Now, why would a scavenger be that big? Surely a scavenger wouldn't want to attract attention to itself.
So I say it was a predator that would scavenge in some cases (But this would be normal as hunters scavenge on occasion the same way savengers hunt on occasion).

I heard a theory about this, in which the T-Rex was big because it was a scavenger. By being large and intimidating, it could easily steal other predator's kill. Apparently, it was like a modern day vulture, but twenty plus feet tall and bone crushing jaws. I don't know how true that is, but it makes some sense.

 

[Lonely Swordsman]

I can not imagine something as big as a T-rex as a pure scavenger. Mixed diet of fresh prey and carrion, maybe, but an animal that's badass enough to kill anything it wants dead all on its own wouldn't have to resort to look after what rival predators have left for it.

 

[7moreDead_v1legacy]

I presume mainly a scavenger, its olfactory system was huge (guessing it got that way in order to smell meat/kills from others - Combine this with it's sheer size (as others have mentioned) It could easily ninja others kills.

I wouldn't rule it out as a part time hunter (on easy/very easy targets) though, but that takes more energy than looting others meals But alas it's dead and unless JP becomes reality we may never know.

I'll hedge my bets on Scavenger though...

 

[PunkRex]

I can not imagine something as big as a T-rex as a pure scavenger. Mixed diet of fresh prey and carrion, maybe, but an animal that's badass enough to kill anything it wants dead all on its own wouldn't have to resort to look after what rival predators have left for it.

Who said anything about it leaving it till they left. Its that big so it could just rob other carnivores and if they tried to stand up theyd get nomed as well. If a creature doesnt need to hunt chances are it wont.

Also I dont know if any of your saw the documentry but (I forget its name) they did a load of tests on birds and reptiles and did size multiplers, etc and found that a T.Rex could survive on no more then a man sized meal each day, stunted growth maybe but enough to survive. When you consider the size of the things dying around it from other predators, disease and accidents it really, REALLY didnt need to hunt.

Im not saying it wouldnt of if given the chance but why would it take the risk of permently crippling itself if it could just use its bitching sense of smell and find food or just rob it off someone else.

 

[PurplePlatypus]

Think of it this way, a T-Rex was very big. Now, why would a scavenger be that big? Surely a scavenger wouldn't want to attract attention to itself.
So I say it was a predator that would scavenge in some cases (But this would be normal as hunters scavenge on occasion the same way savengers hunt on occasion).

Well you?re assuming they are picking up leftovers. The size of a T-Rex would also be pretty handy for scaring away predators after they have made a kill. After all sear size isn?t necessarily a good trait for hunting. You want to be able to sneak up on things and catch them before they can run away.