
These are the eerie images that show an abandoned dinosaur-themed amusement park in a sleepy American town that has been left to rot.

Dinosaur World was once the world's largest pre-historic theme park with giant statues of the creatures thrilling guests.

But haunting snapshots show how the abandoned 65-acre site in Beaver, Arkansas, has taken on a post-apocalyptic air as the attractions gather dust.

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A giant statue of a T-Rex with its catch in its mouth. The decaying statue has been left in the abandoned Dinosaur World park in Arkansas

Dinosaur World was once the world's largest pre-historic theme park but closed in 2005 and has now been left to rot

Mr Ward, who hails from Arkansas but now lives in Thailand, was tight-lipped about how he gained access to the empty site

Urban explorer Dax Ward snuck into the grounds of the abandoned park and snapped these haunting images

The park has housed hundreds of replica prehistoric creatures since opening its doors in the 1960s, but when urban explorer Dax Ward snuck into the grounds he discovered native wildlife has now taken up residence among them.

Mr Ward, 37, said: 'I've shot 40 abandoned sites between Thailand, South Africa, and the US, and this was one of the most scenic ones yet.

'It's deep in the middle of the lush Ozark Mountains of north western Arkansas with a big beautiful creek running through the middle.

'It all adds to the authenticity as a realistic habitat for dinosaurs.

'I was the only person in the area. I just roamed around imagining what the park was like in its heyday.'

The park has housed hundreds of replica prehistoric creatures since opening its doors in the 1960s but it closed its doors for good in 2005

Birds, beavers and deer are among the new inhabitants living inside the giant statues - and coyotes are known to stalk the area after nightfall

Dinosaur World shut up shop in 2005 after a fire, suspected to be the work of an arsonist, destroyed its main building

A decaying statue of a diplodocus stands tall among the trees, with other replica dinosaurs patrolling nearby

An overturned 12-metre-high King Kong statue lies abandoned in the park alongside other sculptures showing pre-historic life

An abandoned woolly mammoth at the park. Mr Ward said: 'It's deep in the middle of the lush Ozark Mountains of north western Arkansas with a big beautiful creek running through the middle'

An overturned 12-metre-high King Kong statue, a hulking brontosaurus and a glowing green tyrannosaurus rex are among the most memorable of the 100-odd sculptures standing within the park's walls.

Mr Ward said birds, beavers and deer were among the new inhabitants he spotted - and coyotes are known to stalk the area after nightfall.

Dinosaur World shut up shop in 2005 after a fire suspected to be the work of an arsonist destroyed its main building.

Mr Ward, who hails from Arkansas but now lives in Thailand, was tight-lipped about how he gained access to the empty site.

Aerial footage of the abandoned park also shows the rotting statues that have been left inside the park in Arkansas

Mr Ward, 37, said: 'I've shot 40 abandoned sites between Thailand, South Africa, and the US, and this was one of the most scenic ones yet'

He said: 'I'd prefer not to discuss how I gained access, however I will say that entry is very restricted, and that there are overseers nearby.

'The site is looked after. The landscape is generally well kept, with the grass appearing to have been cut save for the overgrown shrubbery around the dinosaurs.

'As always, I want to photograph these sites as they are. I never damage property in any way, as I want them to remain intact long as possible.

'I love urban exploring all over the world but doing so in the area where I grew up is all the more special.'