Saharanpur— A fossil believed to be part of a Triceratops, the iconic three-horned dinosaur, has been unearthed along the banks of the Sahansara River in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district. Experts suggest that the find may date back millions of years and could be a significant addition to India’s growing list of prehistoric discoveries.
Mohammad Umar Saif, founder of the Natural History and Conservation Centre, said that the fossil appears to be the nasal horn of a Triceratops and is remarkably well-preserved. “While we cannot confirm with complete certainty that it belongs to a Triceratops, its shape, size, and morphology closely resemble those of known Triceratops fossils discovered across the world,” Saif explained.
Triceratops dinosaurs lived during the Late Cretaceous period, which spanned from about 100.5 million to 66 million years ago. Saif noted that the fossil’s excellent preservation can be attributed to heavy mineralisation over millions of years. “It has completely transformed into sandstone due to mineral deposits, as it remained buried in the foothills of the Himalayas for approximately 35 to 40 million years,” he added.
In recent years, several ancient fossils have been recovered from the Saharanpur region, sparking increased scientific curiosity. Researchers believe the area holds valuable geological and paleontological clues that could shed light on the prehistoric ecosystem that once thrived there.
