The Discovery
Southwestern Saskatchewan has delivered another significant milestone for paleontology. During the annual Fossil Fever event held in mid-August, a team organized by Parks Canada and the Royal Saskatchewan Museum brought together more than 20 researchers, students, and members of the public. Guided by figures including Ryan McKellar, curator of paleontology at the museum, the expedition recovered notable prehistoric remains across the region.
What Scientists Found
The standout find of the season was a rare thoracosaurus tooth located in Grasslands National Park. The thoracosaurus was a massive crocodile that lived during the Late Cretaceous and Early Paleocene periods, with individual teeth measuring one and a half to two inches long. This find represents only the second official record of this creature in Canada.
Fieldwork across southwestern and southeastern Saskatchewan also yielded several other significant specimens:
- Tail vertebrae from an edmontosaurus
- A partial jaw from a triceratops
- Portions of skulls and teeth from large crocodiles
- A collection of teeth and scales concentrated in river-formed microsites within the Frenchman River Valley
- Fossilized tree resin, or amber, retrieved from coal seams near Estevan
Why It Matters
These teeth and fossils provide vital clues about ancient environments. University of Regina researcher Ben Egan incorporated dinosaur, crocodile, and fish teeth into his study of ancient animal life. Analysis of carbon in these teeth reveals how energy moved through prehistoric food webs, while oxygen content indicates how close these habitats were to ancient coastlines. Additionally, the fossils help scientists evaluate dinosaur migration patterns and diets, while amber samples from Estevan offer a rare glimpse into insect life during a period with few preserved resin deposits globally.
Source: dinosaur fossil discovery - BingNews · Published September 27, 2026