Dinosaur Isle is leading the way with a dedicated dinosaur excavation, to provide specialist training for 55 university students from across the county.
The summer dig is taking place in the rich, 125-million-year-old fossil beds at Yaverland.
Taking place this week, visitors will be able to watch the dig and see the painstaking work involved.
Alex Peaker, collections officer of geology at Dinosaur Isle, said:
“The first couple of days of each dig will include leading a field trip and exposing the site; the latter three days of the week is when we are hoping to find some impressive dinosaur remains.
“It’s great that Dinosaur Isle can pass on its expertise and knowledge, that will help the students gain valuable excavation skills, needed for their future vocation.”
Councillor Jonathan Bacon, Cabinet member responsible for archaeology and heritage, said:
“The summer dig provides a unique educational platform for the Island to showcase its famous dinosaur heritage.
Article continues below this advertisement “It offers the perfect location and opportunity for students to get that essential hands-on experience and in one of the richest areas for dinosaur discoveries in Europe.
“It’s also a great chance to encourage everyone to become inspired and re-engaged in palaeontology and conservation.”
Many significant dinosaur finds have been made on the Island. Part of a Neovenator, a large, carnivorous dinosaur, was first spotted by holiday-makers in 1978 and excavated by Steve Hutt, former curator of Dinosaur Isle.
In 2009, the fossil of a small Pterosaur was found by Islander Daisy Morris when she was just 4-years-old.
And just this month, researchers announced the discovery of the remains of Europe’s largest ever land-based predator dinosaur on the south-west coast of the Island.
The summer dig takes place from 27th June to 1st July, between 10:00 and 16:00 each day, on the beach at Yaverland.
helping to speed up erosion i see
Just so long as they all get a precious degree that most of them will not use when working for Deliveroo, but it will give them the moral high ground to preach about climate change and coastal erosion!
Don’t know why they are bothering to go digging for old fossils when there are real live dinosaurs like you about.
First of the summer whines.
THINK what we will gain. A few fragments of blackened bone, so others can waste our taxes re creating some assumed huge beast to impress children and fools at great cost, add a bit of noise and a video screen and mugs will pay to view such too.
As if we’re not already losing enough of our island every year to natural erosion! Numptys
The old grunters who moan about young people vegetating on their phones and playing video games are now complaining about them being outside in the fresh air learning something truly interesting?
Is there anything at all that people under 45 can do that won’t draw your ire?
Yep, you could’nt make it up, so many sad little people.
Some terrible shorts on view, but not a single tattoo.Are they looking for the Government’s plan to fix Social Care?