100 million old Dino fossils found in Kutch region
A team of Indo-German geologists and palaeontologists may have found fossils of a 135-million-year old herbivorous dinosaur in Kutch, Gujarat, possibly the oldest such fossil found this century.
The pieces of bone — possibly from the limb or hip and about two feet long —suggests that it may have been a 10-15 metre-long animal and, were the researchers’ claims to hold up, only among a handful of Jurassic-era dinosaur fossils from India. That was the time when India and Madagascar were one landmass and the Himalayas yet to form.
The so-called Jurassic era spanned 250-145 million years during which herbivorous dinosaurs flourished and laid the ground for beasts, such as the Tyrannosaurus Rex. These flourished during the Cretaceous period —145 to 65 million years ago — after which the double blows of a meteor strike and overflowing volcanoes are said to have destroyed these animals.
“Carbon dating test will be conducted by the German geologist team led by Franz Fursich and Dr Matthias Alberti who have taken samples with them,” said Mr Chauhan, who is pursuing a PHD in geology at Kutch University.
“Dr D K Pandey of University of Jaipur was also present during excavation work,” he said.
“We are quite sure that these fossils are of dinosaur. Once the age of the fossils is ascertained, we will also be able to tell about the species,” he said.
Gujarat is considered to be home to one of the largest collection of dinosaur remains in India. A large number of dinosaurs eggs have been discovered at Balasinor, 100 km from Ahmedabad, and fossils have been found near the Narmada banks too.
