A newly opened dinosaur excavation site near Moab could offer important clues about one of the major evolutionary transitions in Earth's history. Estimated to be between 138 million and 141 million years old, the site may be among the oldest Cretaceous dinosaur bonebeds in North America.
Dr. Jim Kirkland, Utah state paleontologist, and Don DeBlieux, assistant state paleontologist, discuss the discovery and its potential significance. Researchers hope the fossils will help explain the end-Jurassic mass extinction, an event that dramatically changed dinosaur populations and brought an end to much of the fauna associated with Utah's famous Morrison Formation. The site also appears to contain a previously unknown species of armored dinosaur, which Kirkland is currently describing and naming in honor of DeBlieux.
The conversation also reflects on the scientists' 25-year collaboration uncovering and preserving Utah's prehistoric heritage. With DeBlieux preparing to retire at the end of the year, this excavation marks a meaningful milestone in a partnership that has helped shape paleontological research in the region.
