Discovery in a Forest
The man who discovered the fossil was named Damien Boschetto. He lives in a village in France called Cruzy. He gave a translated statement to ABC News describing the abundance of fossils in the area.
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“The territory around Cruzy is rich in fossils of dinosaurs and other species living at the same time. For 28 years, Cruzy has been supplying and building one of the largest collections of dinosaur fossils from the Upper Cretaceous period in France,” he said.
Dinosaur Bones Exposed
Boscehetto talked to the local news organization FranceBleu in February, describing the experience and his discovery of the dinosaur bones.
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“It happened one morning like any other, during an ordinary walk. While walking the dog, a landslide on the edge of the cliff exposed the bones of various skeletons,” Boschetto said.
More Than Meets the Eye
While it could be said that Boschetto just got lucky, he also benefitted from knowing what to look for. He has had previous experience with dinosaur bones as a self-taught paleontologist. This experience helped him discover the skeleton of a Titanosaur, a huge long-necked dinosaur.
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“They were fallen bones, therefore isolated. We realized after a few days of excavations that they were connected bones,” Boschetto said.
A Secret Kept
Boschetto enlisted the help from members of the Archaeological and Paleontological Cultural Association (ACAP) from the nearby Cruzy Museum.
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They endeavored to keep the find secret until they had fully excavated the huge Titanosaur. Boshetto and the ACAP members were worried the site “would be pillaged, damaged by people who do not know.” (Via ABC News)
What is a Titanosaur?
A Titanosaur is a huge long-necked dinosaur that lived millions of years ago. Experts believe that it lived in the Jurassic period as much as 163 million years ago all the way to the Cretaceous Period which goes up to 66 million years ago.
Source: Ansh Saxena/Wikimedia
The dinosaur had a long tail and neck but a short head. They are a type of sauropod and are the largest known terrestrial animals. There are a few types of dinosaurs discovered across the world that fall into this dinosaur and it is an unofficial genus.
Just How Big is a Titanosaur?
It’s hard to imagine the true scale of this large creature, which has long gone extinct. They were wide and stocky because of their body but also towered high because of their long necks.
Source: Armin Reindl.Wikimedia
While land animals can rarely reach the size of underwater ones, the Titanosaur is about the same size as modern-day whales. They grew to be about 23 feet long and weighed close to 11 tons. (via Britannica)
First Discoveries of Titanosaurs
The first recorded Titanosaur fossils were described in 1877. Dinosaur experts at the time were trying to correctly classify these creatures in this growing scientific field.
Source: UNED/Wikimedia
While experts thought they were their own genus, others thought they were merely similar remains of other sauropods. Identifying fossils can be complicated because researchers are often looking at an incomplete picture.
Boschetto Hopes the Find Will Energize Interest in Local Museum
In comments to FranceBleu, Boschetto expressed his desire for his find to bring large numbers to the Cruzy museum, where the skeleton was ultimately transported to.
Source: Gary Todd/Wikimedia
“It is a flagship piece for the general public, to be able to admire a dinosaur in automatic connection like that,” he said.
A Rare Eye
The founder of the Cruzy Museum, Francis Fage, gave a glowing review of Boschetto and the discovery when talking to FranceBleu. He expressed just how much of an achievement this find is.
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“It is very rare to find this, he had to have the eye. There are some who have passed for 30 years and they have not seen this site,” Fage said.
Details of the Specimen
Fage told FranceBleu about the particular details of the specimen that was found.
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“This titanosaur, which is a cousin of the brontosaurus, was around 8-9 meters. It was heavy floods, it got stuck in a sandstone barrier, and it stayed there. We’re going to have to find the rest, the skull and the femur. There, we have the part that goes from the back of the skull in the queue,” said Fage.
Beschetto’s Future
Since the discovery of the huge dinosaur, Boeschetto quit his regular job working in the energy sector. He hopes to pursue a master’s degree in paleontology and continue studying dinosaurs in his French village.
Source: Matthew Dillon/Wikimedia
His story goes to show that you can make a big impact in the world even without the proper credentials. It’s an inspiration to self-taught hobbyists to keep your skills sharp since you never know when luck might find you.