Big Bert has arrived at the Gardiner Dam Visitor Centre down at Danielson Provincial Park, and he’s quite a large guest when seen up close and personal.
Bert is an exact skeletal replica of a massive 19-foot long crocodile that lived 92 million years ago in the age of the dinosaurs. The fossils were discovered back in 1991 along the banks of Carrot River, and the remains of the marine predator have allowed paleontologists and researchers to learn so much about Bert’s species and the Cretaceous time period that he lived in.
Visitors will be able to read up on the era in which crocodiles such as Bert lived, including a nifty full-color comic book attached to the display. As well, the display has some interactive features, such as touch-screen technology to scan different parts of Bert’s body to see how he functioned and a face-recognizing camera feature that allows you to ‘swim’ with different marine life and snap a photo to be emailed to anyone.
With his arrival at Gardiner Dam, Bert is sure to be a hit with visitors of all ages for the season.
The skeletal model is on display courtesy of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.
