Scientists have uncovered a 180 million-year-old “sea dragon’ fossil in Britain.
Fossils
The dinosaur remains have been billed as one the “greatest finds” in UK paleontology after it was discovered at Rutland Water Nature Reserve by Joe Davis and Rutland Wildlife Trust while they doing routine draining of the Leicestershire reservoir in February 2021
They were amazed to come across a fossilized prehistoric ‘sea dragon’, the nickname of the Ichthyosaurus, which was first found in the 19th century by Mary Anning.
The prehistoric creatures were roaming around the planet roughly 250 million years ago before being wiped out 90 million years ago.
The fossil - which is one of the biggest complete discoveries of its kind ever found Britain - weighs over a ton.
Dr Dean Lomax, a palaeontologist involved in the find said: “Despite the many ichthyosaur fossils found in Britain, it is remarkable to think that the Rutland ichthyosaur is the largest skeleton ever found in the UK.
“It is a truly unprecedented discovery and one of the greatest finds in British palaeontological history.”