LEMMON, S.D. (AP) – A seven-foot-long triceratops skull has been unearthed in South Dakota by a group from Westminister College.
A geology professor and students from the Missouri college were excavating fossil remains last year at the Grand River National Grassland when they were alerted that a rancher had discovered something unusual poking out of the earth.
The group found it was the tip of a triceratops horn, leading them to believe it could lead to a significant excavation. The professor returned with students and alumni this summer, and they unearthed a skull that weighed 3,000 pounds.
The researchers nicknamed the fossil “Shady” after the nearby Shadehill Reservoir, a popular recreation destination located about 10 miles south of Lemmon. It was moved to the Westminster campus in Missouri, where it is “resting in a secure location until funds can be raised for restoration,” according to the university.
