A triceratops skull weighing almost 1400 kg has been discovered in South Dakota

Three years ago, a team of archaeologists discovered a giant triceratops skull in South Dakota (USA). This iconic dinosaur lived on Earth during the Late Cretaceous period.

In 2019, David Schmidt, professor of geology at Westminster College, and his students were sent to South Dakota ( United States ) to study a fossil found by a local rancher. And the least we can say is that the scientists were not disappointed with the trip.

Photo Credit: Illustrative Image/Istock

A major discovery!

On site, archaeologists unearthed a giant triceratops skull, a dinosaur having lived on Earth 66 million years ago: One of the very first bones we saw in rock was this long cylindrical bone “, had indicated at the time David Schmidt to a local radio.

Photo Credit : David Schmidt / Westminster College

As the Big Think website states, the excavation work lasted several weeks, between June and July 2020: “ We had to be very careful “, explained the professor. This step was particularly difficult due to the size of the fossil: the triceratops skull belonged to a specimen weighing about 1360 kilograms and measuring about 2.10 meters long.

According to the researchers, the creature - dubbed Shady, was probably a Triceratops exactly. Note that this species roamed what is now North America. You may not know it, but this herbivorous dinosaur was the favorite prey of the Tyrannosaurus rex.

Photo credit: David Schmidt / Westminster College

Photo credit: David Schmidt / Westminster College

This is not the first time that paleontologists have found the remains of triceratops in this American state. In July 2019, another team had discovered during a search a skull of triceratops c complete measuring approximately 1.5 meters in length.

For its part, “Shady” is now on the Westminster campus, where Paul Schmidt and his team hope to raise funds for the restoration of the fossil.