Duck-billed dinosaur roamed Chile 72 million years ago, scientists say

A study released on Friday has revealed that a herbivorous duck-billed dinosaur roamed the remote, ancient river plains of Patagonia in southern Chile about 72 million years ago.

Scientists named the dinosaur Gonkoken nanoi and say that the animal weighed up to a ton and could grow to four meters in height, according to the study published in “Science Advances”.

In 2013, an expedition led by the Instituto Antártico Chileno (INACH) discovered yellowish bone fragments at the foot of a hillside near the tourist destination of Torres del Paine in Patagonia. This began a nearly decade-long investigation.

“At first, we thought it was from the same group as other South American hadrosaurs, but as the study progressed, we realized it was unprecedented,” said Jhonathan Alarcon, the study’s lead author.

Alarcon said researchers extracted more than 100 pieces and it was difficult to get them out without damaging others. Then the scientists had to make sure that the bones belonged to the same species and checked them against existing research to verify that it was indeed a new species.

Extensive research has allowed scientists to digitally reconstruct the skeleton, and the team hopes to use a 3D printer to display it to the public.