“The first ever dinosaur fossil was found on Koh Por island in Cambodia,” Samal said.
The fossil, part of a dinosaur’s leg, was unearthed in Bak Khlang commune, Mondul Seima district, Koh Kong province which borders Preah Sihanouk province.
Hun Marady, director of Koh Kong provincial environment department, said yesterday that researchers have spent about a year researching the fossil and based on the evidence concluded that the fossil is from a dinosaur.
“After the discovery, we decided not to move the fossil because the research is ongoing and it depends on a decision from the Ministry of Environment. The ministry will study the fossil thoroughly to understand what kind of dinosaur it is,” Marady said.
“According to the experts, the fossil is from a dinosaur, but what kind of dinosaur will require a more thorough study,” he said.
Marady said that he was unsure how big the original dinosaur might have been, but the fossil is similar in size to the shin of an elephant.
He said that more researchers will go to the area and determine the type of dinosaur.
Director of heritage office at Environment Ministry’s community department Lim Vanchan said that after the discovery a team of archaeologists studying the fossil placed its age between 65 and 190 million years and it has been recognised as the first ever discovery of its type in Cambodia.
He said that the fossil is 20cm by 20cm and was embedded in the rocks. Geographical research assisted in determining the age of the area where the fossil was found, meaning that it comes from the time when dinosaurs existed.
“We have not yet moved the fossil. We have kept it in place with the protection of the environment department. We lack ancient animal experts so we have to find partners with foreign experts,” Vanchan said. “We have three French experts joining the research team in the middle of November.”
According to khmertimeskh.com
