150 million-year-old dinosaur to find new home in Dubai Mall

Photos courtesy: Dinosauria International

An adult dinosaur that walked the earth some 150 million years ago and was discovered very recently at the Dana Quarry in Wyoming, USA, is set to surprise visitors at The Dubai Mall.

Khaleej Times can confirm that Emaar Properties, the developer of Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall, has bought a dinosaur exhibit.

'This will be the first of its kind and will be on permanent display at the mall shortly,' sources said.

Online research on Dana Quarry offers interesting insights into the dinosaur skeleton that will soon find its home in Dubai.

According to the website of Dinosauria International, the site, located near the village of Ten Sleep, has 'ancient sand and mudstone deposits, dating back to the late Jurassic Period, approximately 150 million years ago'.

At least a dozen individual skeletons have been discovered there, representing a diversity of species. With Emaar yet to announce details of the dinosaur it has bought, it can only be assumed that the 'giant lizard' to be on display is perhaps a sauropod -- a herbivore with a long neck and tail, small head, and massive limbs.

The Dana Quarry website states that the site became a 'natural trap'. The skeletons that have been discovered are of both of predators and preys 'which perished together in a shrinking water hole, possibly during a drought'.

Based on the findings, it can also be concluded that the dinosaur to arrive in Dubai shortly is one of the 'best ever discovered species', perhaps complete and in an excellent state of preservation.

According to the sources, the dinosaur to be exhibited is the first of its species 'where the bones from one individual were found in (a) sleeping position'.

Painstakingly restored, the majestic species will mark its exhibit first time outside the US in Dubai.

The sources confirmed that the dinosaur is currently in transit from Wyoming, and will reach Dubai soon.

patrick@khaleejtimes.com