The Dubai Mall has a new landmark: a 24.4 meter long 155 million-years-old dinosaur. Emaar’s latest attract is from the Late Jurassic Period – a Diplodocus longus, which is located at the mall’s Grand Atrium.
The dinosaur was discovered in 2008 at the Dana Quarry, near the quaint town of Ten Sleep in north central Wyoming. It represents an adult that belongs to the family of Diplodocidae, and was found in the sleeping position. All bones unearthed were complete and in superb condition, which helped paleontologists address several queries that were left unanswered. Among the interesting features of the dinosaur is that its tail bones were injured during its lifetime, presumably due to a predator’s bite or from trauma resulting from an exerted tail force during a battle.
Nearly 90 per cent of the fossil’s bones are original. This skeleton characteristic is very unique in the history of paleontology, given that the most original Diplodocus longus skeleton finding, prior to this, had only 30 percent of original bones from the overall found structure.
“The largest creatures to walk on earth, dinosaurs have been popularized through novels and films,” said Natalie Bogdanova, Senior Director, Business Development & Operations, Emaar Malls Group. “Now, for the first time in Dubai, visitors to The Dubai Mall have the opportunity to witness the mind-blowing magnificence of a life-size dinosaur exhibit, which also has the distinction of being the only one of its kind in the world. The new exhibit is educational, awe-inspiring, and yet another definitive reason to visit our city and the mall.”
The dinosaur was sourced through Khalid Seddiq, Founder of Etihad Modern Art Gallery in Abu Dhabi. It was previously only displayed at the Houston Museum of Natural Science and is the first fossil bone mounted in an upright position. Quite remarkably, all the bones of the dinosaur on exhibit come from the same individual, giving it an unmatched completeness. Rated high in scientific integrity and beautifully preserved, there are no comparable specimens of this quality in any museum or private collections.
The dinosaur appears monumental in The Dubai Mall’s Atrium and is sure to be one of the city’s leading and most unusual attractions.
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