Deinonychus is a genus of theropod dinosaur that lived during the Cretaceous period, around 115 to 108 million years ago. It was first discovered in Montana, United States, and has since been found in other parts of North America. Deinonychus belonged to a group of dinosaurs called dromaeosaurids, which were known for their sharp, curved claws on their hind feet.

Deinonychus was about 3.4 meters (11 feet) long and weighed around 73 kilograms (161 pounds). It had a slender, bird-like body with a long neck and a snout filled with sharp, serrated teeth. The most distinctive feature of Deinonychus was its large, curved claw on the second toe of each foot. These claws were used primarily for capturing and holding onto prey.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Deinonychus is its suspected pack hunting behavior. Fossil evidence suggests that Deinonychus lived in groups and may have hunted cooperatively, similar to modern-day wolves. This hypothesis is supported by findings of multiple Deinonychus specimens found in close proximity to each other, as well as the discovery of a possible prey animal with injuries consistent with Deinonychus attacks.