Brutus the Triceratops Joins Eden Project Big Lunch

Last month, something set off the movement sensors in the Eden Project’s Rainforest Biome. Whatever tripped them didn’t match any species living inside. This week, the mystery walked into lunch.

His name is Brutus, and he is a Triceratops.

The giant plant-eating dinosaur joined families, staff and supporters in the Rainforest Biome for the Eden Project’s Big Lunch, a tropical celebration designed to welcome him and make him feel at home. The lunch kicked off a weekend of friendship, food, fun and action as The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out get underway from 5th to 8th June across the UK.

The mystery in the Rainforest Biome

Brutus comes from Dinosaur World Live, and some Eden followers may already know the name. Last month, he and his friends sparked widespread speculation after reports that movement sensors in the Rainforest Biome had been triggered by something that didn’t match any known species housed there.

The answer was Brutus and his dinosaur friends, who will return to Eden this summer as part of a dinosaur experience running from 25th July to 6th September.

At the Big Lunch, three-year-old William and four-year-old Reed helped feed Brutus giant leaves and a flower-topped cake made specially for the occasion. As a vegetarian dinosaur, Brutus enjoyed the plant-based treats while guests came together to share food, friendship and fun.

A first-ever Flower Count

The celebrations then moved outdoors, where two of Brutus’s smaller dinosaur friends helped launch the first-ever Eden Project Flower Count. Joined by staff and children, including Reed and William, they recorded flowers in bloom as part of a new annual citizen science project.

The Flower Count aims to build a long-term picture of how climate change and weather patterns may be affecting flowering times across Eden’s outdoor gardens. By recording what is in flower each year, Eden hopes to create a record that can track changes over time.

Lindsey Brummitt, Programme Director at the Eden Project, said:

“At the heart of The Big Lunch is a simple idea, that everyone is welcome at the table and the dinosaur Big Lunch was a joyful celebration of that! From sharing lunch with neighbours to sharing lunch with a Triceratops, it’s all about bringing people together, having fun and making new connections.

“The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out are teaming up for the first time this year, and we’d love people to join us at Eden this weekend. Whether you’re trying volunteering for the first time, taking part in the Flower Count or simply sharing a pasty and a chat, there’s a place for everyone.”

Swap your entry fee for a spade

The event marks the start of a weekend of community action at Eden, where visitors can swap their entry fee for hands-on volunteering.

Activities include pollinator tracking, bug hotel building, planting with Eden’s horticulture team, pot making, sunflower seed planting, kindness card making and taking part in the Flower Count. Visitors who pre-book a volunteering activity will get free entry to Eden for the day and an invitation to a Cornish pasty Big Lunch, bringing visitors, volunteers and staff together to share food and conversation.

Places are limited and advance booking is essential via the Eden Project website.

Alice Cooper, whose son William took part in the event, said:

“William was absolutely thrilled to meet Brutus and help feed him. Seeing his face light up was wonderful, and it was lovely to be part of something that brought so many people together.

“What I really loved was how welcoming it felt. Everyone was chatting and joining in, and taking part in the Flower Count together was a fun way to connect with nature and with other people. It felt like a really special community event.”

The Big Lunch and The Big Help Out are teaming up for the first time this year to create what they call the UK’s biggest weekend of community, encouraging people to connect with others, lend a hand and make a difference where they live. More information is at thebigdo.com.