Paleontologist, David Evans, the Curator of the Royal Ontario Museum’s dinosaur collection, has answers to questions you might have forgotten to ask about dinosaurs. Guest speaker at a recent Canadian Club of Halton Peel dinner, David charmed the audience with his presentation "Hunting Dinosaurs in Western Canada”.
He is a Canadian-born researcher and an expert on the dinosaurs that roamed throughout North America and the world. His research focuses on the evolution, ecology and diversity of dinosaurs, and their relationship to environmental changes leading up to the end-Cretaceous extinction event 65 million years ago. It is difficult to imagine these mammoth animals living in Canada but the climate was much different in their time and, based on huge fossil finds, one of their favourite locations was what is now called the Alberta Badlands, a site that is recognized globally.
In 2007 David helped develop the Royal Ontario Museum's James and Louise Temerty Galleries of the Age of Dinosaurs. He was also the Lead Curator of the major travelling exhibition Ultimate Dinosaurs: Giants from Gondwana – an exhibition on dinosaurs from the Southern Hemisphere and one of the most successful special exhibits in the ROM’s history. Most recently, he was co-creator of the History Channel Canada television series Dino Hunt Canada and its associated interactive website and exhibit.
One of David’s favourite dinosaurs is the Tyrannosaurus Rex. But also close to his heart is whatever he is working on at any given time. David and his team have helped discover eight new dinosaur species in the last five years - including the recently announced Wendiceratops from Southern Alberta. Named after Wendy Sloboda, one of the most talented dinosaur hunters in the world, you can see this discovery at the Royal Ontario Museum. Wendiceratops is a truly eye-catching dinosaur.
“With its array of gnarly horns curling forward off the back of its frill and its tall nose horn, it is without a doubt one of the most highly ornamented members of the horned dinosaur family, which is well-known for their spiky skulls", Evans told the audience.
David also mentioned that dinosaurs are still with us, in the form of birds. At one time, it’s now known, most dinosaurs were covered with feathers much like our birds which today consist of over 10,000 species. Chicken and turkeys fall into this category and likely taste like the dinosaurs of old!
Join the Canadian Club of Halton Peel at the Oakville Conference Centre for another stimulating and interesting evening on Thursday, November 19 when Charles Burton, PhD, Associate Professor of Political Science at Brock University, will talk about the government and politics of China under the title “Canada-China: the Way Ahead”.
Currently celebrating their 30th season, the not-for-profit, volunteer-driven, Canadian Club of Halton Peel has been presenting guest dinner speakers on a wide range of subjects since 1986.
Reservations for the dinner can be made by e-mail ([email protected]), by telephone (905-827-6302) or by mail (cheques payable to the Canadian Club of Halton Peel, 283 River Side Drive, Oakville, L6K 3N3).