Gov. Kelly designates official state dinosaur fossil
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Governor Laura Kelly signed a bipartisan bill Friday to designate an official state land fossil.
Known as the only known dinosaur from the Dakota Formation in Kansas, Silvisaurus Condrayi was a medium-sized, four-legged, armor-plated plant eater, according to a press release from the State of Kansas.
The remains of the fossil were first discovered by a rancher in Ottawa County in 1955, according to the press release.
Kansas was covered by a shallow sea 110 million years ago, according to The University of Kansas. The dinosaur lived in dense forests near the eastern coast.
An exhibit for Silvisaurus Condrayi is held in the KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum on the third floor.
“Designating this state fossil helps educators demonstrate Kansas’ relevance to eras long before the founding of the United States,” Kelly said.