BBC Pidgin of Tuesday, 2 January 2024

Source: BBC

Wetin to know about pliosaur - ogbonge sea monster, one of di most fearsome predators di planet don see as dem display im head for public

Di 2m-long pliosaur skull, wey dem find an one of di most complete skull dem don see Di 2m-long pliosaur skull, wey dem find an one of di most complete skull dem don see

Di skull of one very big sea monster wey dem dig up from di Jurassic Coast dey on display.

Di 2m-long fossil belong to one pliosaur - one of di most fearsome predators di planet don see.

Di public fit see di 150-million-year-old marine reptile for di Etches Collection for Kimmeridge in Dorset, wey dey close to wia dem find di beast.

Di rest of di skeleton go dey entombed for di cliffs. Di hope be say dem fit eventually recover am.

Na one fossil enthusiast find part of di face of di pilosaur for beach near Kimmeridge Bay.

Dem extract di rest of di skull from half-way down di face of one cliff by one team wey hang from ropes.

Na Steve Etches lead di effort to remove and prepare di fossil.

Dem don unveil am for one museum wey bear im name, and e dey togeda with oda Jurassic fossils im don spend im lifetime dey collect.

"E go dey impressive, especially wen children dey come, becos dem go come in and see am face-on- wey suppose get di required effect," im tell BBC News.

Di pliosaur skull na one of di most complete specimens ever found and e dey in very fine shape - preserved.

E no take much imagination to see say dis go be di ultimate killing machine.

Im big crocodile-like jaw dey packed wit130 razor sharp teeth, and di big holes for either side of di skull go dey filled wit big-big muscles.

Researchers estimate say di bite force go dey in di same range as T. Rex own - and na im make dem call am pliosaur, di nickname of "sea rex".

Growing to 10-12m in length, di ancient reptile go fit move imself through di ocean using four big paddle-like legs.

So, despite im size, e go fit move quickly.

E for fit kill prey wey dey pass wit one single bite, and den swallow am straight down - scientists tink say dis monster bin no dey bother to chew im food.

"Pliosaurs bin dey top of di food chain," Steve Etches tok.

"Dem fit even feed on dia own kind, becos for di collections, we get pliosaur bones wit pliosaur bite mark on dem."

As well as di public interest for dis prehistoric beast, researchers also dey interested to get up close wit di fossil.

E get features wey oda pliosaurs bin no get, including one high head crest, wey suggest say e fit be new species to science.

And what about di rest of di pliosaur body?

If di skeleton still dey for di Kimmeridge cliff clay, wit di way di coastline dey wear out fast-fast, na really a race against time.

Steve Etches wan bring am out, before e go dey lost forever to di sea.