THE LIONS may no longer be the kings of the jungle, with the opening of the UK's largest animatronic dinosaur attraction at the West Midland Safari Park.

Moving dinosaurs will become a reality at the park on Saturday, (March 21).

The "Land of the Living Dinosaurs", a walking trail, has 38 life size prehistoric monsters for a Jurassic safari experience.

Each dinosaurs can move its mouth, neck and eyes.

Daniel Griffiths, Marketing Manager, said: "The exhibit is heavily themed, landscaped and planted with copious amounts of flora, including tree ferns, gunnera, reeds and monkey-puzzle trees.

"Sound effects are indicative of the lost world add atmosphere, whilst static fossil displays, a volcanic vent, three pools and a geyser intensifies the whole experience."

He added: "It is a journey that spans four ages of dinosaur reign - Permian, Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous."

The entrance to the Jurassic safari is flanked by the skeletal form of the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex and is located in the park's Discovery Trail.

Mr Griffiths said: "Examples of some of the most formidable creatures to have roamed the planet include the curiously named Dilophosaurus, the fearsome Gorgonops and two of the largest - at 8 metres tall - the Apatosaurus measuring 25 metres and Argentinosaurus, at 30 metres.

"A life size adult Tyrannosaurus Rex elevated on rockwork casts a dramatic shadow, whilst the impressive Sarcosuchus, meaning 'flesh crocodile' represents one of the largest crocodile-like creatures that is thought to have ever lived.

All the dinosaurs in the exhibit are built from compound rubber and house a moving steel armature, which adds realistic movement to each display.

Mr Griffiths said, "Work initially started on the £2.5m project in 2012. It led the Park's design team on trips around the world to investigate exactly how the exhibit could be achieved, before various manufacturers were engaged to develop the dinosaurs.

"Meanwhile, the 1000 metre square site for the new, open-air display was being created on a parcel of reconfigured land between the four-mile, drive-through safari and the existing Discovery Trail. The exhibit has been designed to transport visitors back to a forgotten era, when powerful forces and mayhem ruled the Earth, to a time when only the biggest, strongest and fiercest survived. We are all extremely pleased with the result".