Drumheller: The World Capital of Dinosaurs in Alberta, Canada
In the heart of the Badlands of Alberta, Canada, lies a small town that proudly proclaims itself as the “World Capital of Dinosaurs.” Drumheller, with a population of just under 8,000, is home to some of the most significant fossil discoveries ever made. This unassuming town is the epicenter of dinosaur research and boasts the renowned Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, which attracts over 430,000 visitors annually.
Alberta, Canada, is known for having the largest deposits of dinosaur fossils on Earth, and Drumheller is at the forefront of this paleontological treasure trove. The unique badlands topography of the region allows dinosaur bones to be easily spotted jutting out of the earth. The Royal Tyrrell Museum showcases some of the most astonishing discoveries from this area.
Dr. Jim Gardner, a palaeontologist at the Royal Tyrrell Museum, explains why this region is so rich in dinosaur fossils. He reveals that 75 million years ago, Drumheller looked vastly different from the barren badlands we see today. It was once a semi-tropical coastal plain teeming with life, making it an ideal habitat for dinosaurs. The abundance of plant life and other creatures such as crocodiles and pterosaurs attracted dinosaurs, which thrived in this lush environment.
The conditions in Drumheller were also perfect for preserving dinosaur remains after death. Seasonal storms and floods would kill dinosaurs in large numbers and quickly bury their corpses under layers of sediment. Water played a crucial role in this fortuitous cycle of events. It not only created life but also brought about death and burial, leading to fossilization. As a result, Alberta has become the world’s leading dinosaur hotspot.
Water has also played a significant role in revealing these ancient fossils. During the Ice Age, thick sheets of ice carved away younger sedimentary rock, exposing the dinosaur fossils hidden beneath. As the climate warmed, meltwater from glaciers unleashed torrents of water, creating new river valleys. This natural erosion process continues to this day, gradually revealing new fossils as layers of rock are lost.
One of the museum’s star attractions is the Tyrannosaurus rex known as “Black Beauty.” This remarkable specimen was discovered by two schoolboys fishing in the Crowsnest River. Its distinctive black bones are believed to be a result of manganese in the groundwater during fossilization. Although considered small by T-Rex standards, this sub-adult dinosaur’s skull measures 1.3 meters long and around 1 meter wide at the jaw.
The Royal Tyrrell Museum houses an astounding three million individually cataloged specimens, with less than 1% on public display. One noteworthy find is an ornithomimosaur fossilized in a death pose. Researchers discovered black marks on its forelimb bones, which were attachment points for quills. This provided the first hard evidence that this dinosaur group had feathers, similar to modern-day birds.
The museum receives thousands of specimens each year, ranging from tiny bone fragments to large fossils that require helicopter transportation. Even the smallest pieces are considered precious and vital for research. Teeth marks on a tiny bone fragment can reveal important information about which species were prey for other dinosaurs.
Many of the museum’s greatest specimens were unearthed in Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site located southeast of Drumheller. This park is home to an incredible array of fossils, including over 50 dinosaur species, 150 complete skeletons, and 450 different fossilized organisms. Visitors flock to the park, with over 100,000 people exploring its wonders annually.
One of the park’s most popular attractions is a vast dinosaur bone bed that spans an area the size of two football pitches. This bone bed is the resting place of a herd of horned Centrosaurus, relatives of the famous Triceratops. The bones reveal that the herd, consisting of over 1,000 individuals, perished while attempting to cross a swollen river.
The history of dinosaur discoveries in Alberta dates back to the Blackfoot First Nations, who revered these fossils as the “grandfathers of the bison,” their most sacred animal. French trappers later arrived in the region in search of beaver pelts, and through trade with the Blackfoot people, they learned about the treasures buried in the ground. This sparked the Great Canadian Dinosaur Rush in the early 1900s.
Over a century later, the fascination with dinosaurs in Drumheller remains as strong as ever. Dr. Gardner emphasizes the importance of studying dinosaurs to understand our own future. As humans become the apex predators on a rapidly changing planet, we can learn valuable lessons from the fate of the dinosaurs. Their extinction serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us of the fragility of life and the need to adapt to survive.
Drumheller, with its rich fossil heritage and