Scientists claim to have uncovered the world’s largest haul of dinosaur fossils in China.
They recovered some 7,600 fossils from a 980ft-long pit near Zhucheng city in the eastern province of Shandong in a dig lasting seven months.
The finds at the site – dubbed ‘Dinosaur City’ – include the remains of a 65ft hadrosaurus, possibly a record size for fossils of the duck-billed species.
Scientists clean up just one of the fossils where 7,600 have so far been found
Restoration work continues on the fossil of a hadrosaurus. Further excavations and expected to yield more remains
Zhucheng City, dubbed ‘Dinosaur City’, is in the east of China
China, a relative latecomer to archaeology, has stepped up exploration in recent years and makes regular finds of rare fossils, which are sometimes smuggled abroad to be sold for large sums.
In January, Australia handed back a haul of dinosaur fossils to Beijing, including eggs dating back hundreds of millions of years.
They were recovered from warehouses and cargo containers in sting operations.
Scientists believe further excavations could yield even more fossils.
Zhucheng has produced dinosaur fossils in some 30 sites, according to local media.
This pictures shows the excavation site close to Zhucheng City, in east China’s Shandong Province. The fossil field appears to be the largest in the world, according to paleontologists