L.J. Krumenacker was bashful at the comparison between himself and a movie character. Yet, the middle school teacher who discovers dinosaur bones on the side seems to be a nice mix between Indiana Jones and Dr. Grant from Jurassic Park.
Krumenacker is an Idaho State University Department of Geosciences affiliate researcher and a middle school science teacher in Blackfoot.
He recently discovered the first dinosaur burrow in Idaho, which is just the second in North America and the third discovered in the world.
A dinosaur burrow is literally that—a hole dug in the ground by the ancient creatures—designed to provide shelter and protection from the outside world.
“It shows this may have been a more common lifestyle for dinosaurs than people think about,” Krumenacker said in an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio.
The professor was teaching a paleontology field course for Montana State University near Soda Springs, Idaho when he made the discovery. He wandered off while one of his partners was instructing and stumbled upon the bones of an ancient Oryctodromeus.
The teacher inspected the area and made note to return to excavate the area, though, it wasn’t until a year later when they were able to complete the dig.
Krumenacker said it provides a significant step forward with a specific “ecological niche” of knowledge and study.
“We learn that these animals commonly burrowed just like many animals do today,” he said on the significance of the find. “I suspect there’s a bunch of other dinosaurs that probably burrowed as well. I’m going to start some research into that next year, hopefully.”
For more information, read a copy of a scholarly journal written by Krumenacker on the subject.