Bernie Duhamel was out for a walk one day in early March when he made a startling discovery in a small cave near his home off road 506 near Fernleigh.

A pile of old bones.

At first he thought they were the remains of a farm animal, but when he carried them to his home and began piecing them together he quickly realized he was dealing with something much more unusual. So he called the Department of Natural History at the University of Ottawa , who dispatched Paleonologist Alberta Jones to see what the discovery was all about.

“I’ve never seen anything quite like it,” Jones told the News, “it is a complete Stegratasaurus, the only one that has ever been found, as far as I know. We are calling it Stegafernicus after the place where it was found.”
Jones has gone over the site where Stegafernicus was found and has found the remains of other prehistoric animals. She is hoping to organise a large-scale dig at the site for later this year.

“My working theory is that the recent earthquake, which was centred over Western Quebec but was felt throughout the Ottawa Valley must have disturbed something and revealed the cave and the bones.”

The theory is supported by Bernie Duhamel’s experience.

“I never noticed that cave before,” Duhamel said, “that is, until after the earthquake.”

Stegafernicus will remain at the Duhamel home until a suitable space can be found at the Museum of Natural History in Ottawa .