Jurassic Jackpot: 'Exceptionally Preserved' Dinosaur Fossil Unearthed in UP's Saharanpur!

Researchers have unearthed a fossil along the Sahansara River in Uttar Pradesh, believed to be part of a Triceratops, a three-horned dinosaur. The excavation in the area revealed what experts believe could

be the nasal horn of a Triceratops, dating back millions of years. According to Mohammad Umar Saif, who is the founder of the Natural History and Conservation Centre in Saharanpur, the fresh fossil is believed to be a part of the nose of the Triceratops. But the finding is not definite yet."A fresh fossil has been discovered, believed to be of a Triceratops... The fossil is a part of its nose. While we cannot definitively say that it belongs to a Triceratops, it closely resembles other Triceratops fossils found around the world. Its morphology, shape and size are very similar," he told PTI.

Buried 35-40 million years ago!

These dinosaurs were generally found during the Late Cretaceous period, 100.5 million years ago to 66 million years ago, he said. The fossil is said to be exceptionally well-preserved."This is well-preserved as it has completely transformed into sandstone due to heavy mineralisation because it remained buried in the foothills of the Himalayas for approximately 35-40 million years. This is a good discovery," Saif said.Triceratops was a herbivorous ceratopsian. With three horns, a parrot-like beak and large frill that could reach nearly one metre across, the skull of Triceratops is one of the largest and most striking of any land animal.Several fossils, dating back millions of years, have been reportedly excavated from the area in recent years, drawing interest from researchers.(With PTI inputs)