The fossilised remains of an ichthyosaur have been found in England’s Midlands, the largest and most complete of its kind discovered in the UK, according to a news release issued by Anglian Water. Ichthyosaurs were large marine reptiles similar in shape to dolphins but grew up to lengths of 25 metres.
The 10-metre long fossil was discovered in February 2021 in Rutland Water and is thought to be 180 million years old. A conservationist at Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, Joe Davis, found the ichthyosaur during a routine draining of a lagoon island for re-landscaping. Known as sea dragons due to having large eyes and teeth, Ichthyosaurs went extinct around 90 million years ago.