The Royal Saskatchewan Museum’s (RSM) T.rex Discovery Centre in Eastend, SK is unveiling a new fossil exhibit — a 10-metre (over 32 feet) mosasaur marine reptile found with the remains of a three-metre mosasaur in its stomach.
Mosasaurs were large marine reptiles that lived roughly 72 million years ago during the late Cretaceous period. At that time, much of the Prairies — Saskatchewan included — was covered with an inland sea. Mosasaurs are related to modern monitor lizards and snakes.
The 10 metre Tylosaur specimen, which has been named “Omācīw”, was found in the hills around Lake Diefenbaker near Sask Landing Provincial Park. The smaller mosasaur skeleton found in Omācīw’s stomach is currently being reconstructed by RSM technicians.
“The T.rex Discovery Centre is an amazing attraction and I encourage Saskatchewan residents to take the opportunity to check out Scotty and the rest of the Discovery Centre’s offerings,” said Laura Ross, Minister of Parks, Culture, and Sport. “This new Tylosaur display is just another example of the excellent work being done by our staff at the Discovery Centre and the RSM. There are fun-filled activities and programs for guests of all ages.”
“Scotty” is the nickname of the largest and oldest Tyrannosaurus rex fossil discovered so far. Estimated to have lived for over 30 years, Scotty weighed nearly 9,000 kilograms (~20,000 lbs) and was 13.2 metres long (over 43 feet).
Scotty was first found in 1991. It took two decades to extract 65 per cent of the skeleton from the rock.
Another popular attraction at the T.rex Discovery Centre (TRDC) is the Paleo Lab Experience. Visitors can engage interactively with staff and learn about ongoing research. RSM staff are working to uncover a number of fossils, such as another mosasaur discovered in 2012 in Grasslands National Park.
The TRDC is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at #1 T.rex Drive in Eastend. Admission is by donation. More information can be found at royalsaskmuseum.ca/trex.
