Most complete dinosaur skeleton unearthed in BC

The hadrosaur is wrapped in plaster and put up on blocks in anticipation of being airlifted out. (Peace Region Paleontology Research Centre)

Friday, August 30, 2013, 11:33 AM -

It took five years of painstaking work on a remote BC hillside, but paleontologist Richard McCrea and his team finally unearthed the most complete dinosaur skeleton ever found in the province.

Vancouver Island Helicopters (VIH) successfully flew out the 1996kg (4400lbs) plaster wrapped skeleton. (Peace Region Paleontology Research Centre)

McCrae says it's "quite something'' to go from discovering a dinosaur and excavating it to actually removing it.

But still the hunt continues because the 73-million-year-old hadrosaur is missing it's head.

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McCrea said it's possible the head was scavanged by a tyrannosaurus because about 60 of the carnivorous dinosaur's teeth were also found in the area.

McCrea says the skeleton and the potential for many more discoveries are proof that BC's paleontological history needs to be taken more seriously.

He says provincial support for paleontological discoveries is non-existent. 

McCrea says it will be at least a year before the hadrosaur's remains will be displayed because he doesn't have the funding yet to hire the proper technicians to prepare the bones.

The search for dinosaurs in Tumbler Ridge: