A set of bones in a flat plaster cast on a black background
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Fossils and dinosaurs

Te Papa’s collections and research on dinosaur bones, animals, and plant fossils from past geological ages, and the people involved in the discovery of their remains.

  • Illustration of a large seabird tearing flesh off a mammal.
    The first giant petrel fossils

    The first giant petrel fossils

    In 2017, Taranaki collector Alastair Johnson found the fossil of a giant petrel. Not only was it a complete skull but it was the first fossil ever found of an intriguing kind of seabird. Two years later, Alastair found part of a wing bone of a giant petrel too. Both fossils are 3 million years old.

  • Illustration depicting two ducks on a shoreline, with a group of ducks flying above
    Big fossil duck discovered in Central Otago

    Big fossil duck discovered in Central Otago

    One of the richest fossil sites in New Zealand has revealed a new species of large, extinct, duck.

  • Illustration depicting two ducks on a shoreline, with a group of ducks flying above
    Find out about St Bathans' newest fossil duck on Sciblogs

    Find out about St Bathans' newest fossil duck on Sciblogs

    St Bathans is a Miocene wonderland full of fossils from a different world, including a bone that hadn’t seen the light of day for millions of years. Over on Sciblogs, Nic Rawlence describes finding Catriona’s shelduck.

  • a skeleton of a moa propped up on a plinth with a black background
    Fossil vertebrate collection

    Fossil vertebrate collection

    Te Papa's fossil vertebrate collection contains some 50 000 'lots' of fossil bones and is the biggest such collection in the country.

  • Penguin bones
    Ancient colossal penguin bones discovered in Otago

    Ancient colossal penguin bones discovered in Otago

    What do you do when you discover what is possibly the largest penguin ever? You name it after your mum. This is what Curator Vertebrates Alan Tennyson – who has a paper on the discovery out today – did.

  • A top-down view of several skeletons of bird heads
    Martinborough’s cave of bones: How thousands of flightless birds met their end

    Martinborough’s cave of bones: How thousands of flightless birds met their end

    Fossilised bird grave sites are common in New Zealand, but one particular cave in Martinborough has revealed thousands of bones of flightless birds who plunged to their deaths.

  • a fossilised tooth on a white background
    Iguanodon tooth – Tales from Te Papa episode 12

    Iguanodon tooth – Tales from Te Papa episode 12

    This fossil iguanodontid tooth is one of the first fossils ever to be recognised as a dinosaur and its discovery contributed to the beginning of dinosaur studies. The latest research suggests that the tooth probably isn’t Iguanodon, but in that related group, an iguanodontid and is 132 to 137 million years old.

  • skull fossils of dolphin and a seal
    Research project: Diversity and evolution of New Zealand’s marine mammals

    Research project: Diversity and evolution of New Zealand’s marine mammals

    Studying fossils and living marine mammals to elucidate their diversity and evolution through deep time.

  • Megalodon tooth and great white shark tooth held in hand
    The largest shark that ever lived – Megalodon (The Meg) in New Zealand

    The largest shark that ever lived – Megalodon (The Meg) in New Zealand

    We look at what we know about the monster that grew to 18 metres and lived in New Zealand’s waters – the megalodon ‘big tooth’ shark (Carcharocles megalodon).

  • An orange plastic dinosaur that came in a cereal box in the 60s
    Is that a dinosaur in my cereal?

    Is that a dinosaur in my cereal?

    This set of plastic dinosaur figurines is part of a larger collection of toys played with by Christine Kiddey in New Zealand in the 1950s and 60s. The figures, from packets of cereal, probably Weetbix or Rice Bubbles, were collected and played with by many New Zealand children.

  • A drawing of a standard Emperor penguin and a much larger penguin
    Ancient colossal penguin bones discovered in Otago

    Ancient colossal penguin bones discovered in Otago

    What do you do when you discover what is possibly the largest penguin ever? You name it after your mum. This is what Curator Vertebrates Alan Tennyson did.

  • A bird skeleton on a black background
    Another extinct bird: New Zealand’s prehistoric swan

    Another extinct bird: New Zealand’s prehistoric swan

    Curator of vertebrates, Alan Tennyson, talks about how New Zealand and the Chatham Islands had their own unique prehistoric swan.

  • Artist’s impression of Eomonachus belegaerensis
    New fossil seal species rewrites history

    New fossil seal species rewrites history

    A fossil discovery in New Zealand has revealed a new species of seal that once called Australasia home. Its presence in our region turns the evolution of southern seals on its head.

  • A photograph of a mosquito in amber
    Dino DNA? Ancient DNA and Jurassic Park

    Dino DNA? Ancient DNA and Jurassic Park

    Can we really get DNA from mosquitos and other creatures preserved in amber?

  • A black and white photo of an older woman holding up a fossil
    Female fossil hunters: Mary Ann Mantell, Mary Anning, and Joan Wiffen

    Female fossil hunters: Mary Ann Mantell, Mary Anning, and Joan Wiffen

    Despite the public image of fossil hunters as macho men with pickaxes, many women have made important contributions with their fossil discoveries. Scientist Lara Shepherd looks back at some pioneering female fossil hunters.

  • An imprint of a bug shape on a grey rock
    Discovering New Zealand’s first fossil bug

    Discovering New Zealand’s first fossil bug

    Inspired by his visit to the exhibition Bug Lab, resident geologist Hamish Campbell recounts finding New Zealand’s first pre-Pleistocene fossil bug.

  • Fossil Iguanodon Tooth sitting on old stained paper with some writing on it
    The first fossil in the world to be recognised as dinosaur

    The first fossil in the world to be recognised as dinosaur

    This is where Jurassic Park began. Geologist Hamish Campbell and 16-year-old dinosaur fan Eric London talk about the very first fossil to be recognised as 'dinosaur'.

  • A classical watercolour with two dinosaur-like creatures fighting in the middle of a countryside with a sunset in the background
    The country of the Iguanodon

    The country of the Iguanodon

    ‘Mr Martin was deeply interested in the remains of the Iguanodon, etc. I wish I could induce him to portray the country of the Iguanodon. No other pencil but his should attempt such a subject.’ – Gideon Mantell, obstetrician, geologist and palaeontologist.

  • a fossilised skull that looks like a beak with a black background
    Extinct tiny albatross species discovered in Taranaki

    Extinct tiny albatross species discovered in Taranaki

    In 2011, Alastair Johnson was hunting for fossils on a remote beach in Taranaki when something magical appeared out of the rock – the most complete fossil albatross skull ever found. Curator of vertebrates Alan Tennyson tells us more.

  • Two people holding a kiwi with one hand holding it's beak
    Research project: History and origins of New Zealand’s vertebrates

    Research project: History and origins of New Zealand’s vertebrates

    Using fossils and DNA to investigate both the relationships and origins of New Zealand’s vertebrates, plus the impacts of humans on the unique fauna of our region.

  • A set of bones in a flat plaster cast on a black background
    Sir James Hector, Hector’s dolphin and Taniwhasaurus

    Sir James Hector, Hector’s dolphin and Taniwhasaurus

    James Hector, the first director of the museum that eventually became Te Papa, found and named many species, including two genera of giant fossil reptiles – the Taniwhasaurus and Mauisaurus.