I’m hunched over a bone bed here.
Alberta
In Canada, equipped with a hammer, awl, and brush, I am striving to uncover a fragment of history dating back 73 million years. The enormity of the 181kg Pachyrhinosaurus skull lying underneath me is hard to grasp—remnants of an animal I’ve previously known only through stories and imagination.
Dinosaurs
Remain among nature’s biggest mysteries. Their abrupt disappearance still confounds experts, but traces of their presence are dispersed worldwide, frequently mere meters beneath our feet.
The skull I’m meticulously uncovering belongs to a Pachyrhinosaurus, a creature closely related to the Triceratops, recognizable due to its robust boss and elaborate frills. This specific fossil has been affectionately named “Big Sam” and was found during the production of a new six-episode BBC television series.
Walking With
Dinosaurs
— a revival of the beloved series that originally premiered 25 years ago.
The show strives to infuse fresh energy into these age-old remains through intricate animatronics, portraying dinosaurs not merely as
fossils
, yet they are portrayed as beings with feelings and distinct personalities, similar to how Sir David Attenborough might narrate a wildlife film.
Through assembling hints from history,
Walking With Dinosaurs
provides a peek into a primeval universe, unveiling the existence of these awe-inspiring beings.
Collaborating with over 200 paleontologists, the BBC chose six different narratives and excavation sites featuring Spinosaurus, a formidable meat-eater discovered in
Morocco
, and a Lusotitan in Portugal.
The members of Big Sam’s group, part of one of the biggest herbivorous dinosaurs known to us, take center stage in episode five. Discovered less than half a century ago by scientists, the earliest fossils of these animals were unearthed at Pipestone Creek Provincial Park.
Located about half an hour’s drive from the city of Grande Prairie, this bone bed sits within a boreal forest near a publicly accessible path. It was initially spotted by a local educator taking a walk alongside the stream back in the latter part of the 1970s—though systematic digs did not commence until many years afterward. Visitors interested in guided explorations of the ongoing excavation area may contact the nearby Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum for arrangements.
“
Alberta
Although it is renowned for larger dinosaur excavation sites, this location holds significant importance,” explains the museum’s curator and paleontologist, Emily Bamforth. “This site played a crucial role in establishing northern Alberta as a prime area for paleontological discoveries.
It’s believed that as many as 40,000 creatures might be buried within a space comparable to a tennis court, which would make it one of the largest gatherings of single dinosaur specimens globally.
Millions of years ago, this region was likely marshy and near the coastline,” says Ms. Bamforth as I carefully extract layers of interwoven ribs, hip bones, and thigh bones — often referred to as a ‘bone stew.’ “It would have made for an ideal habitat for dinosaurs.
The mass grave looks like a crime scene, where investigators are meticulously searching through the earth for evidence.
This is an exceptionally rare sample in the fossil record,” explains Ms Bamforth. “It provides us with a singular glimpse into a group of creatures during a specific moment in history.
Some theories propose that these creatures were traveling northward as part of their regular migratory patterns, much like how wildebeests follow rainfall across Tanzania’s Serengeti plains or how Canadian caribous move north seeking new vegetation. However, a sudden bout of severe floods probably halted their journey.
Ms. Bamforth states, ‘All were killed—the elderly, the children, the healthy, and the frail.’
We believe that the remains lay exposed on the floodplain for approximately one to two years, giving them ample time to start decomposing and breaking down. It was only after this process began that scavengers such as our large Tyrannosaur, our Albertosaurus, and even our smaller feathered Dromaeosaurs started to gather.
The most labor-intensive parts of any excavation process involve digging and preparing the site. After the bones are adequately revealed, they are covered with a ‘jacket’ made from bandages to form a sturdy protective casing before being delicately extracted for subsequent examination and study.
At the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum, through a glass-enclosed lab visible to guests, Ms. Bamforth’s crew is currently examining another Pachyrhinosaurus skull. As I observe, they meticulously rotate this massive item—which outweighs a motorcycle—to prepare for their examination of parts of the fossil that were last exposed when extracted from the earth 22 years prior.
The quantity of data revealed by these quiet relics is astounding. By merely examining the form of the skulls, Ms. Bamforth’s group has inferred comprehensive details regarding the behavior of these creatures.
Large eye sockets likely facilitated the stabilization of vision observed in contemporary herding species. Additionally, the function of distinct frill forms has been likened to the distinctive patterns found on zebras’ stripes, which help individual zebras identify each other within a large herd.
Extending far past our narrow cognitive limits, envisioning life from several million years ago is nearly unfathomable. However, skeletal remains can unveil an unexpectedly intricate narrative.
Enriched through meticulous consideration, scientific inquiry, and a touch of creativity, the challenges, victories, and everyday experiences of these primordial beings turn out to be quite understandable. In the end, we too are residents of this shared planet.
Walking With Dinosaurs will be broadcast on BBC One and available on iPlayer starting from May 25th for a duration of six weeks.
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