Dino-Napped Baby Velociraptor Reunited With Animatronic Mom, Siblings

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL — If it had been a real baby velociraptor, Dude the dog might have sniffed it out. But since it was an animatronic dinosaur, Dude and his owner, who were out for a walk, had no problem spotting the unusual find about two blocks from the Museum of Archeology, Paleontology & Science (MAPS) in New Port Richey from where it was stolen.

The dog walker, who'd seen news reports of the stolen dinosaur, promptly called the New Port Richey police, who reunited the baby raptor with its animatronic mother and two siblings on Friday.

In honor of Dude's good deed, MAPS Director Charles Zidar decided to name the baby dinosaur in the dog's honor.

The 60- to 80-pound animatronic baby velociraptor, part of the museum's Dinos & Dragons Exhibit of animatronic prehistoric creatures, was stolen from a gated area outside the museum's home at the Harry Schwettman Education Center, 7650 Orchid Lake Road, near downtown New Port Richey.

Diane Jones, who handles publicity for the museum, figures Dude the Second was part of a Halloween prank gone wrong. Once word got out that police were searching for the dinosaur, the thief got rid of the incriminating evidence near the museum.

It was a smart decision on the dino-napper's part, she said. The dinosaur is valued at about $6,000, making the theft a felony.

Other than a broken eye and some animatronic glitches, the baby velociraptor was none the worse for wear and Zidar said he's just happy to have the little guy back.

He said the dinosaur went missing the same day he planned to begin construction of MAPS' first major exhibit, the Dinos & Dragons Exhibit, which will run from Dec. 9 to Feb. 26.

Founded in 2020 during the pandemic, the new museum is an educational facility and resource center that houses one of the largest collections of pre-Columbian artifacts in North America, according to Zidar.

It features artifacts including pottery from Egypt, Greece, Rome, Africa and the Americas as well as dinosaur bones, rocks, fossils, minerals and crystals. Additionally, it offers an archaeological prep laboratory where the public can see ancient artifacts and bones being cleaned and examined.

See related story: Life-Size Animatronic Dinosaur Stolen From New Port Richey Museum

Partnering with the University of South Florida and the University of Florida in Gainesville, the museum's department of archaeology has conducted Greek and Roman excavations in the Mediterranean, Native American sites in Ohio and Florida and Mayan sites throughout Central America, according to Zidar.

Meanwhile, its department of paleontology has conducted Cretaceous-age excavations in the Lance Creek formation of Wyoming, Triassic-age excavations in North Carolina and Pliocene/Pleistocene-age excavations in Florida.

Zidar said the department of science and technology art of the museum works with STEM programs in the Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough school systems and performs research to develop exhibits on a range of subjects including communications, music, ax and hammer technology, light and batteries. The science department is also developing robotic and hologram technology.

The museum offers docent-guided tours each Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. Click here.

The Dinos & Dragons Exhibit will feature more than 100 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs and dragons, as well as rides, a dino dig pit and other features encompassing the entire field surrounding the Schwettman Education Center. Visitors can also use virtual reality and dino technology, see a dino dissection lab and check out hands-on arts and science activities inside the buildings. For advanced tickets, click here.

The exhibit will kick off with a free family screening of the Disney Pixar movie, "The Good Dinosaur," in cooperation with New Port Richey Parks & Recreation during Family Movie Night in the Park at Sims Park in downtown New Port Richey on Nov. 19 at 6 p.m.