Fossil finds in Gobi Desert announced, including possible new species

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A 35-person multidisciplinary team of paleontologists, geologists, archaeologists, scientists and members of The Explorers Club Hong Kong Chapter says it has made major findings in the Gobi desert.

MONGOLIA (REUTERS) - The forbidding terrain of the Gobi desert is the centre of exciting new fossil finds.

"Been climbing through this rock ledge, and found pretty significant remains of what looks to be a pretty large dinosaur," says Matt Desantis, from the Explorers Club Hong Kong Chapter. "We believe that it's probably a cousin to the T-Rex."

Thirty-five scientists and explorers found at least 250 new fossil locations and hundreds of fossilised bones.

Palaeontologist Chinzorij Tsogtbaatar from the Mongolia Academy of Science says: "This is the tooth of a meat-eating dinosaur. A tarbosaurus bataar. The most, biggest tarbosaurus ever discovered from Mongolian Gobi desert so far."

Among the findings were remains of previously unknown species.

Explorers credit satellite and drone imaging with their success - along with hard work in tough conditions.

Founder and chairman of the Explorers Club Hong Kong Chapter Michael Barth says: "The technology really allowed us to hone in on more fossil-rich sites, and this helped lead to discoveries of previously unknown species...(plus) two known species that had never been found in those areas before, like the ancestor of the Velociraptor, and remains of the huge Tarbosaurus, which is the Mongolian cousin of the Tyrannosaurus Rex."

The fossils are being examined in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar.

Palaeontologists will explore the newly found sites intensely in the hope of making further findings.

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