An Unexpected Object Found During a Walk... It Was a 70 Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Fossil

Secret Excavation Work Conducted for 2 Years
First Discoverer Transitions to Paleontologist

The story of a man who accidentally discovered a dinosaur fossil from 70 million years ago while walking his dog has recently come to light. He has been secretly collaborating with a excavation team for two years to preserve the site.

The story of Demian Boscheto (25), who discovered dinosaur fossils while walking his dog two years ago, has been shared. The photo shows the excavation site of the Titanosaurus fossils discovered by Boscheto. [Image source: Screenshot from Demian Boscheto's Instagram]

On the 5th (local time), foreign media including ABC News in the United States reported the story of Frenchman Damien Boschetto (25). Two years ago, while walking his dog 'Muffin' near his home in a forest, Boschetto found a whitish object protruding from a pile of soil at the edge of a cliff where a landslide had occurred. Having been self-studying paleontology, he suspected the object to be animal bones and immediately contacted the local related academic society. Boschetto and experts began excavation work right away. Concerned about damaging the site, they kept the process completely secret from the media and continued for two years, with all work reportedly completed recently.

Upon arrival, experts investigated the site and confirmed that what Boschetto found was a dinosaur fossil. It was the pelvic bone of a Titanosaur, known as one of the largest creatures to have ever lived on Earth. Titanosaurs were herbivorous dinosaurs that mainly inhabited South America during the Cretaceous period, from about 145 million to 66 million years ago. They are known for their enormous size, with a body length of 26 meters and a weight of up to 70 tons. Their long necks are believed to have allowed them to eat leaves from tall trees.

Demian Boscheto (left), who participated in the first discovery and restoration process of dinosaur bone fossils. [Image source=Captured from Demian Boscheto's Instagram]

The bones Boschetto discovered at the time were connected to other parts, with about 70% of the body intact. Only the skull and femur were missing. This particular dinosaur had a relatively small skeleton, with an estimated length of about 9 meters. Sediment layer analysis suggests it lived in the late Cretaceous period, approximately 70 million years ago. Once all work is completed, the dinosaur’s skeleton will be displayed at the local museum, the Cruzy Museum. Boschetto has volunteered there for several years.

A pet dog Muffin lying at the excavation site, who discovered a fossil while walking with Bosseto. [Image source=Captured from Demian Bosseto's Instagram]

This unexpected discovery completely changed Boschetto’s life. He quit his previous job and decided to pursue a full-time career as a paleontologist. The Cruzy Museum stated in a press release, "Since joining the team, Boschetto has made many contributions," and "He has helped advance the understanding of late Cretaceous species and ecosystems in France and Europe." Boschetto also said, "I have decided to earn a master’s degree in paleontology for my ongoing research," adding, "No matter what the future holds, one thing is certain: my eight-year-old furry friend Muffin will always be with me on future fossil discovery expeditions." He further expressed hope that the missing bones will be found in future follow-up investigations.