Happy Easter!

Colorado weather has stayed true to form this month by bringing us snow and many windy days. Snow storms in March dropping a total of over a foot to the area have brought some much-needed moisture but we are still looking forward to some gentle, cleansing rains. April will be a busy month for the RMDRC so come on up and enjoy spring and check out our new exhibits and events.

Sunday, April 16th, RMDRC will be closed on Easter Sunday, April 16th to allow our employees to spend that day with their families.  We will be open again on Monday, April 17th at 9:00am.

April 22nd will be Teachers Appreciation Day this year. Teachers may receive free admission and a tour with proof of current teaching status. They are also eligible for 20% discount on a yearly single, dual or family

membership if they sign up on that day. Call Geri at
719-686-1820X110 for further information and to set up a tour.

April 29th, Steve Veatch will be offering another in the series of classes he has put together for the RMDRC visitors. This class is titled Basic Field Methods in Paleontology Course…The goal of collecting a fossil is to obtain a stable specimen with the greatest amount of information preserved along with it. Topics in this class will include: excavation of

dinosaur, small vertebrate, and plant fossils, identification and curation of fossils, collection of data using GPS coordinates, making digital photographs and report writing. Everyone gets a certificate of completion, a resource CD and a fossil specimen. Pre-registration is required, maximum of 14 students ages 12 to adult. Call Deb at 719-686-1820 x104. Class fee is $20.00 plus museum admission of $11.50 per person. Students are required to bring a pen, notebook and clip board.

Also on April 29th from 12:00pm-4:00pm, The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will be here at the RMDRC with a host of wild animals for you to see and touch.

FROM THE EDUCATION DESK

Spring is here! Summer is not far behind! Love to see those buds on the trees trying to blossom.

FYI:
Alaska and New Discoveries:
The polar forests supported a diverse range of animals, from the tiniest bird-beaked predators to the state’s newest discovery, Ugrunaaluk kuukpikensis,a plant eating hadrosaur that grew as big as 25 feet. These dinosaurs evolved adaptations to help them survive annual average temperatures in the 40s, much colder than what scientists previously thought dinosaurs could endure. “These were dinosaurs living at the very edge of what we think dinosaurs were physiologically capable of”, said Patrick Druckenmiller of the University of Alaska Museum of the North, where he is earth sciences curator. He goes on to say, “By reptilian standards, that’s pretty chilly”.

While dinosaurs dominated on land, the ocean was home to still more distinct species. Recently, fossil hunters confirmed the first elasmosaur discovered in Alaska. Scientists are working to unearth the skeleton of one of these long-necked creatures with small skulls and paddle-like limbs in the Talkeetna Mountains. Druckenmiller also announced plans for a new track site found in Denali. Recent work by the museum includes the discovery of the first dinosaur bones in Denali National Park. They have also acquired two partial mastodon skeletons through a donation from a private owner. The museum believes these are the most complete mastodons ever found in Alaska.

Geri Lebold
Education Director



 

Spend some time shopping at Prehistoric Paradise, the largest dinosaur store in the region for hundreds of unique gifts including real fossils, jewelry, games, books, stuffed dinosaurs, t-shirts and much more! A family membership makes a great gift that can be enjoyed for the entire year. If you have someone who’s difficult to buy for, a gift card is the perfect solution. Save yourself time and money by letting our staff gift wrap your purchases free of charge.