Massive dinosaur skull unearthed after 72m years in bone-filled creek
WeirdNews
Incredible footage shows the team of palaeontologists excavating the skull
(Web Desk) - The giant 270kg skull of a dinosaur who last roamed the planet 72million years ago has been unearthed in a bone-filled creek.
Palaeontologists found the incredibly well preserved bone of the adult Pachyrhinosaurus dubbed "Big Sam" underground near Grande Prairie in Alberta, Canada.
The Pachyrhinosaurus - meaning thick-nosed lizard - was a plant-eating dinosaur that was believed to be the cousin of the iconic Triceratops.
Researchers believe that based off the size of the bones found so far the dinosaur species was the same size as an Indian elephant or a rhino.
Some even believe the adult male Pachyrhinosaurus tipped the scales at around 4,000kg.
The Canadian team that found Big Sam's 272kg fossilised skull described it as being the same size as a baby elephant.
It resembled a bumpy and bony shape which differentiates it from many other similar species who had a sharp horn on their nose.
I have extracted skulls in the past. This is probably the biggest one I’ve ever done though, says Emily Bamforth, Paleontologist.
Emily Bamforth, a paleontologist at the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum who have taken the skull to study, said: “Their distinguishing feature is that, instead of having a horn on their nose like a triceratops, they had this big, bony bump called a boss.
"And they have big, bony bumps over their eyes as well.
“It makes them look a little strange. It’s the one dinosaur that if you find it, it’s the only possible thing it can be.”
Big Sam was actually found over a year ago but due to its size was only removed from the ground on Wednesday.
Another issue with the excavation process saw the large team of palaeontologists notice the skull was intertwined with 300 other bone fragments.
The skull was found upside down “as if the animal was lying on its back,” but remained well preserved, Bamforth said.
It was placed in a protective plaster and surrounded by wooden planks for stability before it was carefully hauled out using a crane.
The team then placed it on a trolley and had to collectively push it back to their truck which was parked up in a clearing through a woods.
Bamforth added: “I have extracted skulls in the past. This is probably the biggest one I’ve ever done though."
This is the second Pachyrhinosaurus skull to be recovered in the Grand Prairie region along with hundreds of other bones belonging to baby Pachyrhinosaurus'.
A 30-year-old adult was discovered 16 years ago in a similar area to Big Sam and is now sat proudly in the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum.
