Cut down in their prime

 

For some time, scientists have apparently believed that the dinosaurs started to decline already before that notorious asteroid hit the Earth and finished them off once and for all (or rather their non-avian forms). 

However, recent research suggests that this might not be the case. The fossil record is biased towards North America (and perhaps Mongolia), but fossil finds in Morocco indicate that African dinosaurs still diversified during the period in question. Also, the populations must have been large. 

In other words: the impact of the Chixculub asteroid really did cut down the non-avian dinosaurs in their prime.

Is anyone really surprised?  

"Cut down in their prime": dinosaurs were thriving in Africa before the asteroid hit