Discovery of the Indian Dinosaur Fossils
- Dinosaur fossils have been found in various districts of Gujarat like the Godhra and the Sabarkantha. They have also been recovered from the Kutch regions. These fossils and bones date back to nearly 180 million years.
- Dinosaurs form an important part of India’s rich fossil heritage.
- Many people are unaware of the fact that some of the first fossils recognised as dinosaur fossils were discovered in India..
- Excavations have shown that some of the world’s largest collections of dinosaur remains have been found along the River Narmada, in the State of Gujarat in India.
- Just an hour’s drive from Ahmedabad city in Gujarat we have our very own “Jurassic Park of India.”
- Palaeontologists had discovered the partial skeleton of an unknown species of dinosaurs. The reconstruction of the structure of the new found bones was done and what came out was a 9 metre long carnivore species that was strong, heavy and walked on two legs, which was named as Rajasaurus Narmadensis.
- Rajasaurus Narmadensis means ‘Regal dinosaur from the Narmada’ is also referred to as the “princely lizard from the Narmada valley”.
- The Rajasaurus like its contemporary, the Tyrannosaurus rex, was one of the last species to live. An important aspect of dinosaur studies is the study of dinosaur footprints. The bones of this species were found scattered along the River Narmada.
- They discovered that the bones found, were not of one dinosaur, obviously showing that there existed both carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs in India.
- Besides the Rajasaurus, the fossil of another dinosaur, the Titanosaurus Indicus was recovered.
- This recovery was done after an extensive search in Kolkata.
- Besides the Rajasaurus, the fossil of another dinosaur, the Titanosaurus Indicus was recovered.
- This recovery was done after an extensive search in Kolkata.
- It has been studies that the Titanosaurus indicus was an extension of the long – necked Sauropod that survived till the end of the Cretaceour Era.
- The bones recovered in India have us believe, that the Deccan volcanic eruption was the real cause of the extinction of these huge creatures in India.
- This volcanic eruption is believed to have occurred around 65 million years ago and caused a lot of sulphur dioxide to be released into the air.
- They say this eruption blocked the sunlight to the earth and caused climatic changes and heavy acid rain all of which eventually leading to the extinction of the Indian dinosaurs.
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