Scientists confirm Scotland's first-ever dinosaur discovery

The fossil was initially discovered in 1973, making it the earliest known dinosaur find in Scotland. However, it wasn’t fully identified at the time and remained uncollected until 2018, when a team led by Dr. Elsa Panciroli returned to the site near Elgol in southern Scotland to carefully extract it from the rock.

Although the Elgol dinosaur is only preserved in fragments, unlike some other more complete specimens, researchers have managed to identify part of its spine, ribs, and a hip bone, making it the most intact dinosaur skeleton found in Scotland so far.

Through detailed examination of these bones, scientists believe the dinosaur was an ornithopod, a group that includes the well-known Iguanodon. The fossil dates back to about 166 million years ago, during the Middle Jurassic period, making it one of the earliest known ornithopod body fossils, as this group of dinosaurs became more widespread in the later Cretaceous. Analysis of the bone structure suggests the animal was roughly the size of a pony and at least 8 years old at the time of its death.

Lead author, Dr Elsa Panciroli, NERC Independent Research Fellow at National Museums Scotland said:

"This extraction was incredibly challenging—something we initially thought was too complex to attempt. However, I believed it was crucial to gather and analyze the specimen, so I managed to convince the team to give it a shot. It took significant effort from many people, but we succeeded. Now, we can proudly confirm and publish Scotland’s first-ever and most complete dinosaur discovery, which makes all the hard work worth it."

The demanding excavation was made possible thanks to a specialist team from Research Casting International in Canada. A local crew from Elgol’s Bella Jane Boat Trips navigated the rigid inflatable boat and dinghy to the base of the cliff, where the specimen was carefully loaded and transported back to port.

Dr Stig Walsh from National Museums Scotland said:

This remarkable discovery adds to the ever-expanding collection of Jurassic fossils from the Isle of Skye, providing valuable insights into the diverse ecosystem of that era. While evidence of dinosaurs in the region has been known for some time—most notably from the well-known footprints at An Corran, Brother’s Point, and Duntulm, as well as individual bones—finding a more complete, though still partial, skeleton is particularly exciting. We are thrilled to include this specimen in the National Collection alongside other incredible finds.

Other recent Jurassic discoveries from Skye include fossilized remains of both adult and juvenile Krusatodon mammals, which revealed that these creatures had a slower growth rate compared to modern mammals, as well as the world’s largest known Jurassic pterosaur fossil, Dearc sgiathanach.

Professor Susie Maidment of the Natural History Museum and the University of Birmingham, said:

The Elgol dinosaur was difficult to retrieve and has been even more challenging to classify. Certain features of its bones suggest it may belong to the ornithopod group, a type of plant-eating dinosaur most commonly associated with the Cretaceous period.

However, this specimen had already fossilized long before well-known ornithopods like Iguanodon and Hypsilophodon roamed the Earth. Recent studies on Elgol’s fossils have uncovered a richly diverse ecosystem with exceptionally well-preserved Middle Jurassic creatures, and there are likely more fascinating discoveries yet to be made.

Professor Richard Butler, Professor of Palaeobiology at the University of Birmingham, said:

Excavating the Elgol dinosaur was one of the most physically demanding projects I’ve participated in, not only because of the challenging field conditions but also due to the fossil’s sheer size and scale.

With dinosaur fossils being so rare in Scotland, my colleagues and I immediately recognized the significance of this discovery when we relocated it in 2015. We are thrilled to contribute to a deeper understanding of the Middle Jurassic period through this remarkable find.