A Young Explorer's Dinosaur Discovery

A 12-year-old boy's love for adventure led to a remarkable find in Alberta's Horseshoe Canyon.

The Discovery

• Who: Nathan Hrushkin, 12 years old
• What: Part of a 69-million-year-old juvenile hadrosaur (duck-billed dinosaur) fossil
• Where: Alberta's Horseshoe Canyon
• When: During a hike with his dad

The Significance

• Scientific Importance:
• Confirmed by the Royal Tyrrell Museum
• 30 to 50 bones from the same dinosaur found
• Rare fossils from this time period
• Area not typically known for dinosaur remains

The Location

• Geological Details:
• Rock layers between 71 and 68 million years old
• Contains ash, sandstone, and mudstone

• Preserves fossils exceptionally well

• Protected Land:
• Managed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada
• Preserved from development
• Bones in excellent condition

The Impact

• For Nathan:
• Dream come true
• Aspires to be a paleontologist

• Inspiring moment for his future

• For Science:
• New insights into Alberta's dinosaur population
• Valuable data from a previously unexplored area