The remaining piece of a sauropod dinosaur’s humerus bone damaged by vandals will be moved and preserved as an educational display.
Dinosaur National Monument managers have been unable to develop leads in the case of the fossil ruined when someone broke off a piece and removed it.
A park ranger leading a guided public tour found the damaged fossil on Sept. 2 on the Fossil Discovery Trail, which runs between the Quarry Visitor Center and the Quarry Exhibit Hall in the Utah portion of the national monument.
The Intermountain Natural History Association offered a reward of $750 for any information leading to a conviction, but no tips were provided.
Monument officials decided the remaining fossil could not be preserved in place. Instead, they plan to create a display for visitors to learn about the impacts of fossil theft and vandalism. The remaining fossil will be excavated this week.
The Fossil Discovery Trail is a 1.2-mile trail with unexcavated fossils that people can see and touch. The fossils have limited scientific value, but offer a great educational experience for visitors and students.
All fossils, rocks, plants, animals and cultural artifacts located within Dinosaur National Monument are protected and may not be collected.
People with information regarding the vandalism at Dinosaur National Monument can call 435-781-7715.
Twitter: @BrettPrettyman