Location : Australia

Leaellynasaura is one of the rare dinosaurs discovered in Australia. At the time this little dinosaur lived, what is now Australia was almost at the South Pole! The winters were fairly warm compared to what they are today that far south, but there would have been long, dark nights. This dinosaur had some very large eyes that may have evolved to help it see better during the long winter nights when there may have only been a couple hours of daylight. There have been suggestions that a dinosaur living so close to a pole would not only have had to adapt to darkness, but may have needed to be warm-blooded to survive the colder climate too.

Remains of an Antarctic Hypsilophodon  were found that might be closely related to Leaellynasaura. Associated with this material in the frozen south were shells, tree trunks, ferns, and tree leaves.