A construction crew in Leduc, Alberta has uncovered the fossilized remains of a hadrosaur while digging a trench for a new housing development.
Degner Construction notified the Royal Tyrrell Museum on October 23 about the find and says a series of fossils was found about six metres underground.
Palaeontologists believe the skeleton to be a Hypacrosaurus, a large duck-billed dinosaur that lived 68 million years ago.
The construction crew and museum staff used a large excavator to remove the soil and debris around the fossil and then it was transported back to the museum in Drumheller.
“This tremendous find will give us even greater insight into the dinosaurs that lived in central Alberta,” said Heather Klimchuk, Minister of Alberta Culture. “Alberta’s ability to be successful in preserving and protecting valuable palaeontological resources depends on the cooperation of industry and the public. Degner Construction is to be commended for recognizing and taking the right steps to alert the Royal Tyrrell Museum.”
Museum officials say that the skull has been identified and the exposed part of the fossil revealed a tail and hips.
This is the second time in the last few weeks that a construction crew has unearthed dinosaur fossils.
On October 1, a pipeline crew at Spirit River near Grande Prairie, uncovered the fossils of a larger and older hadrosaur.
“It’s been an incredible year for dinosaur finds,” said Andrew Neuman, Executive Director of the Royal Tyrrell Museum. “This surge in fossil finds has supplemented our own work this field season due in part to increased awareness and diligence among industry and keen-eyed amateurs.”
The Leduc hadrosaur will be stored at the museum until it is prepared for further study.
