14/01/2022
A rare 180 million-year-old sea dragon fossil has been discovered by scientists in the UK. The 10-metre long was found during a routine draining of a lagoon at the Rutland Water Nature Reserve. The fossil is believed to be the biggest and most complete skeleton found to date of its kind in the country and was discovered by Joe Davis, Conservation Team Leader at Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust.
"The find has been absolutely fascinating and a real career highlight, it's great to learn so much from the discovery and to think that this amazing creature was once swimming in seas above us, and now once again Rutland Water is a haven for wetland wildlife albeit on a smaller scale," Mr Davis said in a statement. The Ichthyosaurs first appeared around 250 million years ago and went extinct 90 million years ago.
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