A “criancero” (or goat and sheep herder) made an amazing discovery a few years ago in southern Argentina. This week, we learn that it was a nest containing eggs with dinosaur embryos.
It was on a site called « Auca Mahuevo » 160 kilometers from the province of Neuquén, located in the south of Argentina, that a « criancero » (small breeder of goats and sheep) discovered a nest with dinosaur eggs with embryos inside a few years ago. The announcement was made only this week by the provincial director of cultural heritage of Neuquen, Claudia Della Negra, relayed by the Telam agency.
According to the first estimates relayed, the age of these eggs could be 70 million years. The researchers also explained that this nest had been well preserved since the locality consisted largely of swamps during the time of the dinosaurs which were later covered by volcanic formations.
This is not the first discovery of this kind in the region since in 1997 already, dinosaur eggs had been unearthed on the Auca Mahuida hill, a « protected natural area ». However, this is the first time that researchers have been able to analyze the skin and teeth of these embryos, as Della Negra, an expert in paleontology, points out.
In order to highlight the archaeological and paleontological heritage of the region, the head of the municipality has expressed his desire to create a paleontological park on the site of the excavations to be able to better preserve this area. According to him, it would also attract more tourists and create new jobs.