Trove of dinosaur fossils found high in B.C. mountains

Paleontologists have discovered a significant collection of dinosaur fossils in the Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park in northern British Columbia. This area, located about 200 kilometers south of the B.C.-Yukon border, has been relatively unexplored due to its challenging terrain, requiring researchers to be flown in by helicopter. The team, led by Victoria Arbour from the Royal B.C. Museum, found over 90 fossil bones, including teeth and fragments, with some potentially belonging to previously unidentified species. The fossils are estimated to be between 66 and 68 million years old. This discovery is notable as it challenges existing notions of dinosaur habitats, indicating that these creatures may have lived at high elevations, in contrast to the more common fossil sites found in lower, desert-like areas. The findings will take years to analyze, as the team will clean and reconstruct the bones before determining their specific origins and comparing them with other known species. The discovery has been hailed as a remarkable opportunity to enhance understanding of the prehistoric ecosystem in British Columbia.

- A significant trove of dinosaur fossils was found in northern B.C., with over 90 bones collected.

- The fossils are estimated to be 66 to 68 million years old and may belong to previously unknown species.

- The discovery challenges previous assumptions about dinosaur habitats, suggesting they lived at high elevations.

- The area has been largely unexplored due to difficult terrain, making this find particularly valuable.

- Analysis of the fossils will take years, involving cleaning and reconstruction before species identification.