​These 5 living animals once walked the earth with dinosaurs​

Dinosaurs ruled Earth for millions of years, but according to the most widely accepted theory, a massive asteroid wiped them out around 66 million years ago. It sounds like a sci-fi movie, right?

Yet some lineages managed to survive, evolving into creatures we see today. These aren’t just survivors; they are dinosaurs’ closest living relatives, sharing ancient traits that make you rethink evolution. Birds are well-known direct descendants of dinosaurs, but there are other animals closely related to them too.

Here are five living animals that are close relatives of dinosaurs.

Sharks predate dinosaurs by over 400 million years. Their ancestors prowled the oceans long before the first dinosaurs appeared. Modern great white sharks trace their lineage back to these ancient swimmers. Fossils reveal giants like the megalodon, school-bus-sized predators that were larger than whales. Today’s sharks are smaller but still retain razor-sharp teeth and incredible speed, having survived five mass extinctions.

Crabs, lobsters, and their relatives predate dinosaurs by hundreds of millions of years and are among Earth’s oldest life forms. While lobsters often end up on dinner plates today, their ancestors roamed the seas when T. rex walked the land. Tough exoskeletons and the ability to molt helped them survive global catastrophes. Today, billions thrive in tide pools and deep ocean trenches.

Bees existed as far back as 60–100 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, buzzing around flowers while dinosaurs grazed nearby. Fossilised pollen shows they played a role in pollinating early flowering plants even after the asteroid impact. Though not immune to extinction events, their numbers were reduced before rebounding. Today, bees are responsible for pollinating nearly one-third of the world’s food supply.

Duck-billed platypuses are linked to fossils more than 100 million years old, making them contemporaries of dinosaurs. These egg-laying mammals use electroreception to hunt and even possess venom. Classified as “Near Threatened” due to habitat loss, dams, and predators, their unusual traits remain fascinating. Males glow under UV light, and females produce milk without nipples.

New Zealand’s tuataras are the last surviving members of the Sphenodontia order, which dates back around 250 million years, even before dinosaurs. Often called “living fossils,” they have a third eye that senses light, spiny crests, and an exceptionally slow metabolism. Isolation helped them outlive their relatives, though today they are vulnerable due to rats and habitat loss. Conservation sanctuaries now help protect them. Slow-growing and capable of living up to 100 years, these reptiles can be traced back to the Triassic period.