2024-03-06 06:15:26
Titanosaurus fossil excavation site discovered by Bochetto. /Damien Boschetto Instagram
The story of a man who accidentally discovered a dinosaur fossil from 70 million years ago while walking his dog was later told. He is known to have secretly collaborated with the excavation team for two years to preserve the site.
According to foreign media such as the Washington Post (WP) on the 5th (local time), French man Damien Bochetto (25) was walking in the forest near his house with his dog ‘Muffin’ one day two years ago when he discovered something that appeared to be an animal bone. It was an object sticking out of a pile of dirt at the edge of a cliff where a landslide occurred. He was so interested in paleontology that he studied it on his own, so he immediately contacted a local academic society.
Titanosaurus fossil excavation site discovered by Boschetto. /Damian Boschetto Instagram Boschetto (left) holding up a piece of titanosaurus bone with his excavation team colleagues. /Damien Boschetto Instagram
When the experts arrived and examined the site, what Bochetto found was a dinosaur fossil. It was the pelvic bone of Titanosaurus, known as the largest creature on Earth. Titanosaurus is a herbivorous dinosaur that mainly lived in South America during the Cretaceous period, which lasted from 145 million to 66 million years ago. It is the largest dinosaur among the 30 species, and the largest is known to be 26 meters long and weigh 70 tons. It has a very long neck and eats leaves from large trees.
Boschetto and experts immediately began excavation work. This process was kept secret for two years, and was not disclosed to the media at all for fear of damaging the site. As a result of the recent completion of all work, the bones discovered by Boschetto were connected to other parts, and about 70% of the body was completed. The skull and femur are missing. This dinosaur had a relatively small skeleton and its estimated length was 9 m. Also, according to sediment analysis, it is believed that it lived in the late Cretaceous period, about 70 million years ago.
Once all work is completed, the dinosaur’s skeleton will be displayed at the local museum, the Cruze Museum. This is where Boschetto has been volunteering for the past several years. Bochetto’s life changed as he contributed greatly to the excavation. He quit his regular job and decided to live the life of a full-fledged paleontologist. The Cruze Museum said in a statement, “Boschetto has contributed a lot since joining the team,” adding, “He has contributed to the understanding of late Cretaceous species and ecosystems in France and Europe.”
Muffin, the dog who discovered dinosaur fossils with Boschetto, is seen lying at the excavation site. /Damien Boschetto Instagram
“I decided to pursue a master’s degree in paleontology to further my research,” Boschetto said. “No matter what life holds for me in the future, one thing is certain: my 8-year-old furry friend Muffin will always be with me on future fossil discovery expeditions.” He said. He added, “I look forward to finding the missing bones in future follow-up investigations.”
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