Walking in the footsteps of a ‘living tank’
Watch as paleontological consultant Paul McNeil recounts his excitement at discovering these ancient footprints and enjoy the journey as they travel by land and air to arrive at their final destination at the Dinosaur Discovery Gallery in Tumbler Ridge, B.C.
Crew discovers Ankylosaur dinosaur tracks near Coastal GasLink route
Three years ago, crews conducting paleontological studies along the Coastal GasLink Pipeline project’s corridor made a ‘historic’ discovery. Ancient history that is; really ancient. Tracks belonging to an approximately 20-foot long, six-ton, “living tank” known as Ankylosaur were spotted by paleontological consultant Paul McNeil and his crew during a routine field work study.
TransCanada assisted with the transportation of the fossil, including airlift by helicopter from the riverbed.
Location a ‘dinosaur highway’
Paleontologists have discovered remnants of an ancient pathway used by giants in northeastern B.C. This hundred million year old “dinosaur highway” was a pretty popular spot for Ankylosaurs and many other well-known dinosaurs like the fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex and the three-horned Triceratops.
Paul McNeil might not be a movie star like Chris Pratt but this newly designated UNESCO global geopark in Tumbler Ridge is proving to be a very real Jurassic world. The region was home to some of history’s most famous reptiles and the secrets of how they lived are still being uncovered in this fantastic location.
TransCanada provided transportation
While the footprints discovered by Paul and his crew were not located within the preliminary construction footprint of the project, Coastal GasLink agreed that this find could contribute much to the knowledge of local natural history. The project provided the necessary support to ensure these tracks made their way safely to the Tumbler Ridge Dinosaur Discovery Gallery where they can be studied.