210M Year Old Dinosaurs Unearthed In Switzerland Go On Display In Germany
The bones of two 210-million-year-old dinosaurs unearthed in Switzerland are currently on display at a dinosaur park in Germany.
The two dinosaur skeletons, which belong to the Plateosaurus genus, consist of over 330 bones went on display at the Munchehagen Dinosaur Park in the town of Rehburg-Loccum in the German state of Lower Saxony on 6th July.
Park scientific director Nils Knotschke reported that the reptiles, named Emil and Emily, are direct ancestors of the long-necked dinosaurs, considered to be the largest land animals of all time and belonging to the famous sauropod group.
The fossils, which are estimated to be around 210 years old, come from the Gruhalde clay quarry located near the Dinosaur Museum in the municipality of Frick in Switzerland.
The quarry is considered to be one of Europe’s most important excavation sites from the Triassic period and has so far provided over 80 dinosaur finds that remained stuck in the clay for over 200 million years.
Nils Knotschke emphasised the importance of the quarry and jokingly said: “It is a dinosaur mass grave.”
Emil and Emily belonged to the Plateosaurus trossingensis species, and were six (20 ft) to eight metres (26 ft) long herbivores.
Now Dino Park visitors can observe how the fossils are uncovered piece by piece from the rock and connected together.
Knotschke reported that the assembly of the 330 bones, which were wrapped in protective plaster coats during their transport from Switzerland, will take over three years.
The Munchehagen Dinosaur Park opened an exhibition named ‘Plateosaurus: The Origin of the Giant Dinosaurs’ where enthusiasts will be able to see Emil and Emily.
The Munchehagen Dinosaur Park is a privately operated open-air museum spanning 9 hectares (22 acres) and was opened in 1992.