The Discovery
A simple observation by a passerby in 2022 led to a major paleontological revelation. After finding an unusual rock along the Drumheller badlands in Alberta, the individual handed it in to technicians at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Upon examining the fossil, experts identified small tooth impressions on the lower jaw of an Albertosaurus. The specimen was subsequently analyzed by researchers at the University of Alberta, including lead researcher and master's student Joshua Doyon, alongside professor Philip Currie and his fellow supervisors, who spent four years studying the find.
What Scientists Found
The research team concluded that the bite marks on the jaw were left by a fellow meat-eating dinosaur, most likely a raptor. This marks the first recorded evidence of a raptor feeding on a tyrannosaur, its distant cousin. As professor Currie noted, discovering traces of one meat-eating dinosaur on another carnivore is an extremely rare occurrence. The exact raptor species responsible for leaving the marks is Not specified in the source; please check the official notice.
Why It Matters
The Albertosaurus was an apex predator that inhabited what is now Alberta during the Late Cretaceous period, between 67 and 73 million years ago. This unique fossil provides unprecedented insight into how ancient carnivores interacted and offers scientists a clearer understanding of their dietary behaviors. Researchers expect that this discovery in the Drumheller badlands will draw more scientific teams to Alberta and generate additional scientific papers regarding prehistoric life.
Source: dinosaur fossil discovery - BingNews · Published October 09, 2026 · Photo by Tonia Kraakman on Unsplash