WFS News: Construction crew finds rare triceratops fossil

@WFS,Wold Fossil Society,Riffin T Sajeev,Russel T Sajeev

Construction crews working on Thornton’s new Public Safety Facility uncovered a rare dinosaur fossil.

triceratops fossil in Thornton

Triceratops fossil in Thornton

Crews working at the site at 132nd Avenue and Quebec Street made uncovered what appeared to be a triceratops skull and skeleton on Friday.

Scientists from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science went to the site and confirmed the find.

“My heart was racing,” DMNS Curator of Dinosaurs Joe Sertich said in a statement released to the media. “I realized it was a pretty important dinosaur find.”

“This is probably one of only three skulls of triceratops found along the Front Range area,” Sertich said.

Most fossil finds along the Front Range are from the Ice Age, just 10 to 12-thousand years old, but this fossil is much older, and much rarer, according to Sertich.

“This dinosaur has been laying here for at least 66-million years,” says Sertich. “I’m over the moon right now about this dinosaur fossil.”

Sertich said they were “really lucky” the bones were recognized as fossils.

“A lot of times these will be plowed up and they won’t be recognized,” says Sertich.

Construction crews have stopped work in the area of the fossil, officials with the City of Thornton confirmed.

“The DMNS scientists will stabilize the area, carefully expose the fossil, look for any other bones that remain uncovered, and safely extract them,” city officials stated.

Scientists hope to eventually house the fossil at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

@WFS,Wold Fossil Society,Riffin T Sajeev,Russel T Sajeev

Source:Article By Anica Padilla

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