Rare fossil unearthed in Alberta oil sands
FORT MCMURRAY - Syncrude heavy equipment operator, Maggy Horvath, unearthed what may be a nearly complete plesiosaur. The discovery contributes to Alberta's prehistoric history and the understanding of the evolution of life on Earth.
The fossil, which Horvath found during her shift on November 14, 2011, is currently being examined by scientists and technicians from the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, who are hoping to have the specimen removed by the end of the week.
"This is a very rare find. It's a long necked plesiosaur, which is a marine reptile with a very long neck, small head and short body. The last one that was recovered was 10 years ago; it was recognized as a new kind and given the name Wapuskanectes," said Dr. Don Brinkman, Director of Preservation and Research at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. "We are hoping that this is another specimen of this kind of plesiosaur. The new specimen is particularly important because it looks to be nearly complete."
After unearthing the fossil, Horvath followed Syncrude's protocol for fossil finds. This required the operator to stop digging in the immediate area and notify Syncrude's geologist who works with the Royal Tyrrell on fossil discoveries.
"I think it's great that I'm part of this. It felt pretty good to call my son and let him know that I found a prehistoric fossil while working in the mine," says Horvath. "As operators we always keep our eyes out for a find."
Alberta's oil sands are located in an area that was once part of a prehistoric sea. The last fossil found in 2000 was 110 million years old and declared to be one of the most complete Cretaceous Ichthyosaurs of its age ever discovered in North America.
TOP PHOTO: Plesiosaur on land. One of Heinrich Harder's murals for the Berlin Aquarium.
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