Forty Years of Dinosaur Discoveries on the Isle of Skye

The Isle of Skye, located off the northwest coast of Scotland, has been a source of fascination for scientists and enthusiasts alike for the past four decades due to its rich fossil deposits. These discoveries have shed light on the Middle Jurassic period, a time when dinosaurs ruled the Earth and the world was undergoing significant environmental changes.

The first dinosaur fossil was discovered on the island in 1982 by a young PhD student named Julian Andrews. At the time, Andrews was not specifically looking for dinosaur fossils. Instead, he was seeking to better understand the environmental conditions the island’s ancient Middle Jurassic sedimentary rocks were formed in. It was during this field trip that he stumbled upon a dinosaur footprint, hidden beneath a block of limestone.

Andrews’ discovery was a significant one, as it marked the first evidence of dinosaur fossils on the Isle of Skye. However, due to the remote location of the find and the large size of the rock it was embedded in, the fossil remained a secret until 1983 when experts arrived to remove it. Unfortunately, the fossil split in two during the removal process, and it was eventually taken to The Hunterian museum at Glasgow University for analysis.

In 1984, Andrews published a paper on his discovery, confirming Scotland’s first-ever dinosaur fossil. This was just the beginning of a long line of discoveries on the Isle of Skye.

Ten years after Andrews’ discovery, a bone from an Early Jurassic theropod was found in Heast. Dr Neil Clark, curator of palaeontology at The Hunterian, recalls how part of another bone was uncovered by BP oil workers on a field trip in 1994. The missing piece of the bone was later found anonymously in the post, and analysis identified it as part of a leg of a sauropod.

Another significant find was made in 2002 by local hoteliers Paul and Cathie Booth. They discovered footprints at Staffin, which were later identified as belonging to a plant-eating dinosaur. The discovery generated international attention, and the Booths were contacted by media, radio, and TV from all over the world.

In 2006, a fossil was found during a dig, which was later identified as a pterosaur. This discovery was significant because pterosaurs, flying reptiles, are rarely found in Scotland.

Perhaps the most exciting discovery was made in 2015 by palaeontologists Steve Brusatte and Tom Challands. They stumbled across more than 100 footprints and handprints left by giant long-necked dinosaurs. The site resembled a “dinosaur disco,” and the discovery was hailed as a major find in the field of palaeontology.

The most recent discovery was made in 2017 by student Amelia Penny. She spotted a pterosaur skull sticking out of a rock north of Portree. The creature was given the Gaelic name Dearc sgiathanach, which means “dark, fearsome one.”

The dinosaur fossils found on the Isle of Skye are from the Middle Jurassic period, which was between 162 million to 175 million years ago. This was a time of significant environmental changes and a massive diversification in dinosaurs. There has been very little evidence of dinosaurs found elsewhere in Scotland, largely because the rocks are much older than the time when the reptiles ruled the Earth.

Islanders are proud of their “Dinosaur Isle” and the importance it holds in the understanding of what life was like in the Middle Jurassic period. Dugald Ross, who started a fossil museum in Staffin in 1976, is particularly proud of the island’s significance. He says, “The Isle of Skye is of particular significance because of the age of the fossils. That period is not well represented on a worldwide basis, and that is why there is international attention. Very few places in the world have that age of rock on the surface.”

Cathie and Paul Booth, who made the 2002 discovery, are also proud of their role in the discovery of dinosaur fossils on the island. They say, “It seems amazing now that some things we discovered during the course of living, working, and raising a family in a small corner of Scotland have become so important in generating a better understanding of life during this Middle Jurassic period.”

In conclusion, the Isle of Skye has been a source of fascination for scientists and enthusiasts alike for the past four decades due to its rich fossil deposits. These discoveries have shed light on the Middle Jurassic period, a time when dinosaurs ruled the Earth and the world was undergoing significant environmental changes. The discoveries made on the Isle of Skye have generated international attention and have contributed significantly to the field of palaeontology. The island’s dinosaur fossils are a testament to the importance of preserving and studying our natural heritage.