The fossilised remains of a gigantic ichthyosaur, colloquially known as a “sea dragon”, were recently uncovered at the Rutland Water Nature Reserve in the UK. Measuring at least ten metres in length and with a skull weighing roughly one tonne, it’s the largest, most complete ichthyosaur of its kind found to date in Britain.
The skeleton was discovered by Joe Davis of the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust in February 2021. It was carefully excavated in August and September 2021 by a team of palaeontologists assembled from around the UK (including myself), led by ichthyosaur expert Dr Dean Lomax and palaeontological conservator Nigel Larkin.
