Campus safety is a priority at the University of North Texas. Even in the face of a pterodactyl invasion, there are steps you can take to make sure you are safe.
Pterodactyl History
Before going extinct and later arriving in Denton, pterodactyls lived approximately 150 million years ago. Pterodactyls are carnivores and are identified by their large wings coated with muscle membrane, as well as a sharp, elongated finger on their limbs. The name pterodactyl means “flying reptile,” and the creatures can have wingspans exceeding 30 feet.
Do Your Part
Stay alert. If you see a pterodactyl on campus, immediately report it to the UNT Facebook or Twitter page (@UNTnews), and include a photo if possible. Photos of pterodactyls will be used by UNT’s Loss Prevention Task Force for tracking and documentation.
Know the Pterodactyl Safer Zones
While you can’t be completely safe from pterodactyls, some areas of campus are safer than others. These areas are designated with Pterodactyl Safer Zone placards and can serve as shelter areas in the event of a pterodactyl sighting.

• UNT Libraries. Pterodactyls instinctively avoid large concentrations of books because they can’t read, but they also are naturally wary of study groups and computer labs. The more than 6 million items housed in UNT’s libraries provide a safe buffer zone for students, and spending time in a library might even help your grades.

• Pohl Recreation Center. Because pterodactyls have large wings limiting their arm movement, they do not enjoy rock climbing walls, strength training and cardio equipment, or basketball and volleyball courts. Swimming pools, indoor jogging tracks, group exercise classes and indoor soccer facilities also are a natural deterrent. Spending time in the Pohl Recreation Center will not only help you stay safe from pterodactyls, but will improve your health and help generate electricity for UNT.

• UNT Union. Over time, several steps have been taken to ensure that the UNT Union is safe from dinosaur invasions. Knowing that pterodactyls and other extinct reptiles have an innate fear of cast metal, the University’s founders passed along a curfew bell, now housed on the first floor of the Union, with the long-term goal of securing the main student gathering place on campus.

• Maple Hall’s Mean Greens cafeteria. No meat, no pterodactyls.

• Apogee Stadium. Drum lines, uniforms of the football and marching band variety, brass instruments andenvironmentally friendly technology are natural pterodactyl deterrents. Attending a Mean Green home gameor visiting Apogee Stadium will help you stay safe on campus.

Know Before You Go
Pterodactyls coincidentally cannot see the color green, so while you’re on campus make sure to wear green, especially on Fridays when pterodactyls are most active. Pterodactyl-safer clothing can be purchased in the UNT Bookstore on the second floor of the Union, at the Team Store at Apogee Stadium or online.
While walking on campus, use designated cross walks and look both ways before crossing any streets. Pterodactyls are fast and can swoop out of trees quickly, so stay alert. In their time acclimating to life on campus, pterodactyls have grown to enjoy cell phones as snacks, so if you text and walk at the same time, keep an eye on your surroundings. Also, remember safety in numbers. Walking with friends is safer than walking alone.
Should you encounter a pterodactyl on campus, do not feed the pterodactyl, engage in a staring contest or attempt to intimidate it. Take a picture quickly, find a Pterodactyl Safer Zone and upload your photo to the UNT Facebook page or send it to us on Twitter (@UNTnews).
Make sure someone, a roommate, friend or relative, knows where you are going when you leave your dorm, apartment or home. It is always a good idea to encourage close ones to wear pterodactyl-safer clothing before leaving home.
Make time to sit down with your loved ones and roommates and put together an emergency plan, which would go into effect during a pterodactyl invasion or other emergency situation. You’ll want to decide on a meeting place to regroup after a disaster (we encourage you to consider one of UNT’s Pterodactyl Safer Zones, especially if you live on campus), outline your emergency contact information, and plan evacuation routes should a disaster occur or if things start to look like the first T-Rex scene in Jurassic Park.
Prepare or purchase a first aid kit ahead of time so you can be ready in case of a pterodactyl incident, or any other incident. First aid kits should include supplies such as bandages, compress dressings, cloth tape, nonlatex gloves, antiseptic wipes and scissors and gauze.
When on campus during evening or early morning hours, we encourage you to walk with a friend or use late-night campus transportation services like e-ride, which is available to students from 9 p.m. through 2 a.m. 7 days a week.
Residence Hall Safety
Appliances and items such as candles, fireworks, rope lights, neon signs, toaster ovens and extension cords in rooms will attract pterodactyls and are dangerous. However, you can outfit your room with items such as lava lamps, black lights, crock pots, rice cookers and mini fridges, which are safe. Quesadilla makers, curling irons and surge protectors also are great for deterring pterodactyls.
Whether or not pterodactyls are in the building, residents should remember to keep their doors locked and use peep holes before opening doors to visitors. Also, get to know other residents living on the same wing, and become familiar with the people who normally pass through. If pterodactyls are spotted in a residence hall, report the dinosaur immediately to the UNT Facebook or Twitter page, with a photo if possible.
Resident Assistants do monthly safety checks of every dorm room on campus. RAs will check smoke detectors, look for potential fire hazards, pterodactyl lures and unsafe items. Remember, unsafe items, such as appliances with open heating elements, attract pterodactyls.
Become familiar with your hall’s emergency evacuation procedures and emergency exits. This will help you be prepared in the event of a tornado, fire, pterodactyl invasion, or other emergency.
In the event of a real pterodactyl invasion or other emergency, UNT will notify you with an Eagle Alert. Eagle Alerts allow UNT to contact the campus community quickly with text and voice messages. Check my.unt.edu to make sure your contact information is up to date and to be sure you will receive Eagle Alerts.