There are few creatures more awe inspiring than dinosaurs. While it may not be possible to experience them in real life (you’re a few thousand years too late!), the next best thing is finding out about their past at the Calgary Zoo’s Dinosaurs Alive . To celebrate, we’re taking a look back at the rich history of the creatures that once tread the Albertan plains.
Alberta was teeming with dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period, which was approximately 75 million years ago.
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- There are few creatures more awe inspiring than dinosaurs. While it may not be possible to experience them in real life (you’re a few thousand years too late!), the next best thing is finding out about their past at the Calgary Zoo’s Dinosaurs Alive . To celebrate, we’re taking a look back at the rich history of the creatures that once tread the Albertan plains.<br /> <br /> Alberta was teeming with dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period, which was approximately 75 million years ago.
- Image courtesy: <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wide_shot_of_the_Hoodoos_at_Drumheller.jpg">Amos Kwok</a>
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- Image courtesy: Amos Kwok
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- Contrary to the Western province’s current climate, in the Cretaceous period, the environmental conditions were perfect for supporting prehistoric life forms. In fact, the landscape was characterized by lush forests, coastal plains, and subtropical weather conditions.<br /> <br /> Being Canada’s richest source of dinosaur-bearing strata, an estimated 40 different species of dinosaurs have been discovered in Alberta to date.
- Image courtesy <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/53417921@N08/4978864028/in/photolist-8zXYPf-6RBuv7-6RBvmJ-6RxsoD-6RBuXJ-6RBvXy-8Nu78D-heezSy-6Rxt9c-6RBvKQ-6RBuhm-6RBwiw-6RBudY-6RBwNf-6RxtzK-6Rxtoc-6RBuRJ-6RBw4f-6RBupL-8AANTb-4Mj3Ji-8NxczG-dsc8Uy-5kNZPx-m4S2y6-m4S6AK-m4S68R-m4STry-5gi5zS-m4RyC4-isNdnA-6Rxt4g-6Rxtu2-6RxtQz-6RxrZg-6RxsHB-6Rxuae-6Rxugr-6RBvBd-6RBv4Q-6RBuFJ-6RBwJ3-6RxrTV-4Ysit6-6RxtJe-6NPgWb-6NPhjm-6NK6SB-6NPghy-6NPh85">jerryw387</a>
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- Image courtesy jerryw387
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- We’re not just talking about 40 existing species either—these were fossils of dinosaurs that were completely new to science when first discovered.<br />
- Image courtesy <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/legendz3/3580002415/in/photolist-8HHUqG-8nPotb-6sqDXq-6smpkK-6smebX-6sqDgN-6sqkGQ-6sqvyy-6sqojj-6sqrA7-6smnQD-6smex6-6smgdx-6smrZz-6smaKR-6smoQ8-6smpRk-6sqAam-6sqqkW-6smhqH-6sqjqm-6sqw75-6sqpZL-6smv3D-6smnn6-6squ2m-6sqtDb-6sqn77-6sqpjE-6sqjLY-6sqFqb-6smbSt-6smjXi-6smduH-6smc92-6smvwR-6sqtcd-6smgJR-6smmV2-6sqCRE-6sqzHb-6smkzg-6sqAAf-6sqBXC-6sqnmS-6sqAZE-6smsNT-6smhUK-6sqDEL-6sqsMW">LegendZ3</a>
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- In 1884, Joseph Burr Tyrrell, a geologist with the Geological Survey of Canada discovered the first documented dinosaur fossil in Canada. <br /> <br /> His discovery, the skull of a then unknown dinosaur species (named Albertosaurus sarcophagus), was dug up in Alberta’s Red Deer River Valley. This discovery definitely tops finding a rich coal deposit, which is what Tyrrell originally stumbled upon.<br /> <br /> In 1912, the first Sternberg-led fossil excavation for the Geological Survey of Canada took place in the area near present day Drumheller.
- Rendering of Albertosaurus sarcophagus, displayed at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. Image courtesy <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/joetourist/3855218434/in/photolist-4woW8U-8D1kPp-8D4rDY-8D4sDJ-8D1m9K-pcwGhU-prZoYJ-8FnZ5m-6SF18m">Joe</a>
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- Rendering of Albertosaurus sarcophagus, displayed at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. Image courtesy Joe
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- The site was where rancher, John L. Wegener had first reported discovering fossilized bones in 1909. In the years following, subsequent excavations led by Sternberg resulted in the discovery of numerous specimens. These specimens can be found in museums across Canada, the United States and London’s British Museum of Natural History.<br /> <br /> Because of the various fossil discoveries around Alberta, the government established the Dinosaur Provincial Park in 1955.
- Image courtesy: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/warrenlynn/5119670846/in/photolist-cDXGA7-oXnn5g-9s1tPt-7j3NFG-7dsjQu-8NpDM1-o1vf3v-ZrJT-6L8beQ-926q6A-4NPcPp-pKoHJy-ah9G3b-dnyhM2-Hbh3Y-bPqge8-5Kufq1-odhyBo-bW5n8-926pAh-dYxhkw-y3tmN-oT7vBG-9YgoVS-gsZK5-926pgy-p2zMys-ntecsF-8GEqzF-7qGxb1-926p4U-923hQR-o7GAvj-ovUBGk-cnzrTo-7gXqBj-7UrRR4-mfHEVd-do7HMz-oTFG2S-7guvn5-7p7Mkn-9g5RaW-dRsaby-dTXUDi-5uyf7b-dnm1Yn-cwL2iC-ah9Fj9-iXUxVM">wplynn</a>
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- Image courtesy: wplynn
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- Located in the heart of the Red Deer River Valley, the park is characterized by its badland topography—a telltale sign of the lifeforms that once inhabited the area. And could it’s name be any cooler?<br /> <br /> In 1979, Alberta’s Dinosaur Provincial Park is officially designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, having yielded roughly 450 fossil specimens.
- Image courtesy <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/miss604/6154827510/in/photolist-bCmFhp-anQkht-anT7o7-anQkjF-bCmCJ6-anQjPD-anT6Ew-anQjY8-anQjLp-anT6VS-anT6MG-anQjx6-anQk3i-fFYSum-2FrCMk-7PpTNP-aoWEcb-fgje4C-57VWQS-pVSxQs">Rebecca Bollwitt</a>
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- Image courtesy Rebecca Bollwitt
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- In addition to the historical and scientific importance of the fossil specimens found on-site, Dinosaur Provincial Park also encompasses environmentally protected badlands and riparian habitats. <br /> <br /> In 1985, the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology was opened, named after J.B. Tyrrell.
- Image courtesy <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/goverwater/9362298150/in/photolist-fFYSum-2FrCMk-bCmFhp-7PpTNP-aoWEcb-anQkht-anT7o7-fgje4C-anQkjF-bCmCJ6-57VWQS-pVSxQs-anQjPD-anT6Ew-anQjY8-anQjLp-anT6VS-anT6MG-anQjx6-anQk3i-qFahdV-fbVGuG-7eE4fu-ceV7U3-ceV6Nh-ceV64q-9e6PLP-bCmE9V-bprLe7-anT6C7-anQjTB-anT7tm-anT6zu-anQjFZ-eWdgfx-eWpFYu-eWdgRt-8tLRWB-CpkiR-gGAYh-8FnYuw-eWpJw3-fgiGGm-pk7tFH-gGAYi-gxHyt-gGAYj-kwYQJH-fFYLuh-fFGf9g">Overwater Photography</a>
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- As a leading institution for palaeontological research and fossil display, it is one of Canada’s major tourist attractions. The museum houses more than 130,000 fossils!<br /> <br /> Now that you know a bit about Alberta’s extensive dinosaur history, you should probably round out the experience by seeing it for yourself—up close and personal. <a href="https://www.calgaryzoo.com/animals/prehistoric-park">Tickets to Calgary Zoo’s Dinosaurs Alive exhibit are available now</a>, and it’s shaping up to be a “roaring” good time!<br />
- Image courtesy <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/legendz3/3579993493/in/photolist-8HHUqG-8nPotb-6sqDXq-6smpkK-6smebX-6sqDgN-6sqkGQ-6sqvyy-6sqojj-6sqrA7-6smnQD-6smex6-6smgdx-6smrZz-6smaKR-6smoQ8-6smpRk-6sqAam-6sqqkW-6smhqH-6sqDEL-6sqsMW-6sqjqm-6sqw75-6sqpZL-6smv3D-6smnn6-6squ2m-6sqtDb-6sqn77-6sqpjE-6sqjLY-6sqFqb-6smbSt-6smjXi-6smduH-6smc92-6smvwR-6sqtcd-6smgJR-6smmV2-6sqCRE-6sqzHb-6smkzg-6sqAAf-6sqBXC-6sqnmS-6sqAZE-6smsNT-6smhUK">LegendZ3</a>
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- Image courtesy LegendZ3