Saturday, March 18, 2023, from 9:00AM to 5:00PM - Alberta Paleontological Society 26th Annual Symposium Sunday, March 19, 2023, from 9:00AM - 4:00PM: Workshops

(in conjunction with the Mount Royal University Earth and Environmental Sciences and CSPG Paleontological Division)

This symposium will contain presentations from a mix of amateur and professional palaeontologists. The aim is to showcase palaeontology to the general public and to provide an opportunity for contact between the Alberta Palaeontological Society, industry, government, and educational facilities. The event is free and all are welcome to attend or join virtually. Families are encouraged to bring fossils to our identification booth where APS members will do their best to provide you with information.

We are calling for Posters for this event. Deadline for submission of abstracts for publication is February 15, 2023.

Click here to download a PDF file version of the 2023 SYMPOSIUM FLYER

Click here to download a PDF file version of the CALL FOR POSTERS CIRCULAR 2

Click here to download a PDF file version of the Speaker Program and Workshop Information SYMPOSIUM SPEAKER PROGRAM AND WORKSHOP INFORMATION

Click here to download a PDF file version of the GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS FOR THE 2023 SYMPOSIUM

View a brief video of our 2018 Symposium.

Speaker: Tako Koning, P. Geol

Abstract

This meeting will not be held at our usual location at Mount Royal University. Instead, it will take place at the CEGA (CSPG) office located at #150, 540 – 5 Ave SW, Calgary, AB. Also note the special time of this presentation - 12 noon - 1PM daylight saving time (not standard time as printed). You may attend in person without having to pre-register, just show up.

Short Presentation

Fifty Years at Pipestone Creek: What Northern Alberta’s Wapiti Formation is Revealing About Boreal Dinosaur Paleoecology. Abstract

Speaker: Dr. Emily Bamforth, Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum and University of Saskatchewan, Department of Geological Sciences

Regular Presentation

Exploring for Algal Stromatolites in North America and Africa - the Journey Continues. Abstract

Speaker: Tako Koning, Geological Consultant, APS and CEGA Member

Leader: Mona Trick

Mona will lead us to the famous Devil’s Coulee dinosaur egg-site in southern Alberta. In the morning, we will enjoy a guided tour of the Devil’s Coulee Dinosaur Heritage Museum (located in Warner, Alberta). In the afternoon, we will have an extended tour of where dinosaur eggs were first discovered in Canada. We will also have time to search for Late Cretaceous (Campanian) fossils (such as dinosaur eggshell) but we will not be able to keep anything we find, as this is a protected site. The price includes admission to the museum and the guided tour of the eggsite. Due to the restricted amount of parking at the egg-site we will car pool the 30 minutes from the museum to the egg-site. This field trip is just one day in length and Warner is about a 3-hour drive from Calgary. Registration is limited to 40 people. For additional details, including camping and motel information, contact Mona Trick at giftshop@albertapaleo.org or (587) 578-4579.

Registration deadline is June 1, 2023.

Leader: Tako Koning

If you missed this tour last year, Tako will again lead us to the famous Cretaceous-Paleocene boundary (formerly the “K/T boundary”) site on Knudsen’s farm near Huxley, AB. This site is the best location in Canada to view the K/Pg mass extinction boundary. It marks the event when dinosaurs and 75 percent of the Earth’s creatures and plants died almost instantaneously. Extensive academic research at this site has contributed materially to our knowledge of what happened to the world at that time. Huxley is about a 2-hour drive from Calgary. This is a single-day trip.

Registration deadline is July 1, 2023.

Leader: Keith Mychaluk

We have been planning this trip for a number of years and finally it is here! The Green River Formation is world-famous for fossil fish, rays, palm leaves and even prehistoric horses and birds preserved in stunning detail in Eocene lake sediments. This trip will take place over 3 days – excluding the long drive to and from Wyoming – in order to accommodate everything we hope to see and do. Kemmerer, Wyoming is a 13.5 hour drive from Calgary (excluding the time required to cross the USA-Canada border; which can be quite variable. Participants will have to find their own way to and from Kemmerer and I strongly recommend splitting-up the drive over (at least) two days in each direction.

Please view the videos on Warfield’s website www.fossilsafari.com to give you an idea of what to expect. Most exciting is the opportunity to watch the professionals excavate fossils at nighttime from the famous “18 Inch Layer” during their “V.I.P dig”. Artificial illumination helps the pros spot subtle clues in the rock indicating where fossils are located. Then they excavate with special shims, chisels and rock saws. It should be quite the learning experience. For those willing to pay an optional fee, you will be able to keep one fossil fish recovered during the night dig. I understand these are quite remarkable; however, the nighttime experience is optional whether you are paying or simply observing.

Please register early and ONLY if you are serious about attending. Expect hot weather! There are no restrictions for attendance but motel space could be a limiting factor.

Registration deadline is June 15, 2023.

Short Presentation

Maritimes to Mars? Stromatolites may be everywhere, even out of this world. Abstract

Speaker: Leslie Eliuk, Retired Geologist, APS and CEGA member

Regular Presentation

Lend us your ear: using auditory region morphology to resolve the evolutionary relationships of camels. Abstract

Speaker: Selina Robson, PhD Candidate at the University of Calgary

Regular Presentation

Reconstructing forests in deep time: palaeoclimate and palaeoecology of the early Cenozoic forests in Canada’s High Arctic. Abstract

Speaker: Dr. Christopher West, Curator of Palaeobotany at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology

We wil be searching for and sorting micro fossils from matrix again this fall and winter.

In November and December, we will be sorting matrix for Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak from the University of Calgary. All of the fossils we find will be used to aid research into the Eocene of Saskatchewan. The matrix comes from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene) and provides important insight into the northern fauna of this period.

All sessions will take place in room B213. There is a map available on line at the Mount Royal University website and showing parking available. The organizer for this year’s fossil sorting workshop is Mona Trick. No fee for this event. It is open to the public and it is a good family event.

Registration is not required, but if you contact me, Mona Trick, (587) 578-4579 or email giftshop@albertapaleo.org, and let me know if you are planning to attend, then I’ll be able to inform you in case we need to cancel a session. No experience is required. Bring tweezers to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds.

Dates:

• Sunday November 5
• Sunday November 26
• Sunday December 10

Location

Room B213 at Mount Royal University

Regular Presentation

More than Monsters: Mesozoic marine reptiles Abstract

Speaker: Dr. Hallie Street

We wil be searching for and sorting micro fossils from matrix again this fall and winter.

In November and December, we will be sorting matrix for Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak from the University of Calgary. All of the fossils we find will be used to aid research into the Eocene of Saskatchewan. The matrix comes from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene) and provides important insight into the northern fauna of this period.

All sessions will take place in room B213. There is a map available on line at the Mount Royal University website and showing parking available. The organizer for this year’s fossil sorting workshop is Mona Trick. No fee for this event. It is open to the public and it is a good family event.

Registration is not required, but if you contact me, Mona Trick, (587) 578-4579 or email giftshop@albertapaleo.org, and let me know if you are planning to attend, then I’ll be able to inform you in case we need to cancel a session. No experience is required. Bring tweezers to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds.

Due to the use of microscopes and the delicate nature of the fossils we’re collecting, there is a minimum age of 12 for all participants.

Dates:

• Sunday November 5
• Sunday November 26
• Sunday December 10

Location

Room B213 at Mount Royal University

The Alberta Palaeontological Society welcomes CSPG (CEGA) members, families and the general public to the December Christmas Social and Open House.

The evening will start with a potluck dinner at 7:30 PM followed by a social evening. Bring your fossils from your summer field trips! APS members will have specimens on display and resident experts will be on hand to help identify fossils that are brought in.

Please note that this meeting is on the 2nd Friday of the month rather then the usual 3rd Friday of the month.

We wil be searching for and sorting micro fossils from matrix again this fall and winter.

In November and December, we will be sorting matrix for Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak from the University of Calgary. All of the fossils we find will be used to aid research into the Eocene of Saskatchewan. The matrix comes from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene) and provides important insight into the northern fauna of this period.

All sessions will take place in room B213. There is a map available on line at the Mount Royal University website and showing parking available. The organizer for this year’s fossil sorting workshop is Mona Trick. No fee for this event. It is open to the public and it is a good family event.

Registration is not required, but if you contact me, Mona Trick, (587) 578-4579 or email giftshop@albertapaleo.org, and let me know if you are planning to attend, then I’ll be able to inform you in case we need to cancel a session. No experience is required. Bring tweezers to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds.

Due to the use of microscopes and the delicate nature of the fossils we’re collecting, there is a minimum age of 12 for all participants.

Dates:

• Sunday November 5
• Sunday November 26
• Sunday December 10

Location

Room B213 at Mount Royal University

Winter blues? You can still find fossils in the dark depths of winter at the APS microfossil sorting sessions on the following Sunday afternoons:

• January 14, 2024
• January 28, 2024
• February 11, 2024
• February 25, 2024
• March 10, 2024

We will be using microscopes in room B213 at Mount Royal University (Main Building) from 1:00 until 3:30 pm. We will be aiding the research of Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak of the University of Calgary by finding tiny fossils in the matrix (soil) from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene) of Saskatchewan. APS is very grateful to Mount Royal University for allowing us to use their microscopes and lab. Registration is not required, but if you let Mona Trick (tel. (587) 578-4579 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org) know that you are planning to attend, then she can inform you if we need to cancel this session. No experience is required. Bring tweezers (with pointed ends) or a small paint brush to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds. Parking is free at Mount Royal University on Sundays.

Due to the use of microscopes and the delicate nature of the fossils we’re collecting, there is a minimum age of 12 for all participants.

Location

Room B213 at Mount Royal University

Regular Presentation

Reading the Fossil Record: how fossils from China reveal the origin and evolutionary history of the last primate in North American before the arrival of humans. Abstract

Speaker: Kathleen Rust, PhD Candidate researching early primate evolution and systematics at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute and department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Winter blues? You can still find fossils in the dark depths of winter at the APS microfossil sorting sessions on the following Sunday afternoons:

• January 14, 2024
• January 28, 2024
• February 11, 2024
• February 25, 2024
• March 10, 2024

We will be using microscopes in room B213 at Mount Royal University (Main Building) from 1:00 until 3:30 pm. We will be aiding the research of Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak of the University of Calgary by finding tiny fossils in the matrix (soil) from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene) of Saskatchewan. APS is very grateful to Mount Royal University for allowing us to use their microscopes and lab. Registration is not required, but if you let Mona Trick (tel. (587) 578-4579 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org) know that you are planning to attend, then she can inform you if we need to cancel this session. No experience is required. Bring tweezers (with pointed ends) or a small paint brush to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds. Parking is free at Mount Royal University on Sundays.

Due to the use of microscopes and the delicate nature of the fossils we’re collecting, there is a minimum age of 12 for all participants.

Location

Room B213 at Mount Royal University

Winter blues? You can still find fossils in the dark depths of winter at the APS microfossil sorting sessions on the following Sunday afternoons:

• January 14, 2024
• January 28, 2024
• February 11, 2024
• February 25, 2024
• March 10, 2024

We will be using microscopes in room B213 at Mount Royal University (Main Building) from 1:00 until 3:30 pm. We will be aiding the research of Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak of the University of Calgary by finding tiny fossils in the matrix (soil) from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene) of Saskatchewan. APS is very grateful to Mount Royal University for allowing us to use their microscopes and lab. Registration is not required, but if you let Mona Trick (tel. (587) 578-4579 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org) know that you are planning to attend, then she can inform you if we need to cancel this session. No experience is required. Bring tweezers (with pointed ends) or a small paint brush to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds. Parking is free at Mount Royal University on Sundays.

Due to the use of microscopes and the delicate nature of the fossils we’re collecting, there is a minimum age of 12 for all participants.

Location

Room B213 at Mount Royal University

We have two feature presentations this month!

Regular Presentation

Bone Cells to Big Dinos: Using Liquid Crystal Polarimetry as a New Tool to Learn about Fossil Vertebrates.

Speaker: Amber Whitebone, PhD Candidate on Evolutionary Biology at University of New England

Unveiling Ancient Life Through Combined Quantitative and Traditional Paleontological Approaches.

Speaker: Dr. Nick Campione Ruben, Evolutionary Paleobiologist at University of New England

Winter blues? You can still find fossils in the dark depths of winter at the APS microfossil sorting sessions on the following Sunday afternoons:

• January 14, 2024
• January 28, 2024
• February 11, 2024
• February 25, 2024
• March 10, 2024

We will be using microscopes in room B213 at Mount Royal University (Main Building) from 1:00 until 3:30 pm. We will be aiding the research of Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak of the University of Calgary by finding tiny fossils in the matrix (soil) from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene) of Saskatchewan. APS is very grateful to Mount Royal University for allowing us to use their microscopes and lab. Registration is not required, but if you let Mona Trick (tel. (587) 578-4579 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org) know that you are planning to attend, then she can inform you if we need to cancel this session. No experience is required. Bring tweezers (with pointed ends) or a small paint brush to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds. Parking is free at Mount Royal University on Sundays.

Due to the use of microscopes and the delicate nature of the fossils we’re collecting, there is a minimum age of 12 for all participants.

Location

Room B213 at Mount Royal University

Winter blues? You can still find fossils in the dark depths of winter at the APS microfossil sorting sessions on the following Sunday afternoons:

• January 14, 2024
• January 28, 2024
• February 11, 2024
• February 25, 2024
• March 10, 2024

We will be using microscopes in room B213 at Mount Royal University (Main Building) from 1:00 until 3:30 pm. We will be aiding the research of Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak of the University of Calgary by finding tiny fossils in the matrix (soil) from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene) of Saskatchewan. APS is very grateful to Mount Royal University for allowing us to use their microscopes and lab. Registration is not required, but if you let Mona Trick (tel. (587) 578-4579 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org) know that you are planning to attend, then she can inform you if we need to cancel this session. No experience is required. Bring tweezers (with pointed ends) or a small paint brush to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds. Parking is free at Mount Royal University on Sundays.

Due to the use of microscopes and the delicate nature of the fossils we’re collecting, there is a minimum age of 12 for all participants.

Location

Room B213 at Mount Royal University

In conjunction with Mount Royal University Earth and Environmental Sciences and the CEGA Paleontology Division, we are pleased to announce that the 27^th annual Alberta Paleontological Society Symposium will take place on Saturday, March 16, 2024.

This symposium will contain presentations from a mix of amateur and professional palaeontologists. The aim is to showcase palaeontology to the general public and to provide an opportunity for contact between the Alberta Palaeontological Society, industry, government and educational facilities. The event is free and all are welcome to attend or join virtually. Families are encouraged to bring fossils to our identification booth where APS members will do their best to provide you with information.

This event will include lectures by notable paleontologists, an opportunity to have APS members identify your fossils, and a host of other events! Stay tuned for additional information.

See the symposium page for additional details.

You can view a selection of videos of the 2023 symposium.

An Update on the Romer Gap in the Fossil Record

Speaker: Dr Jason Anderson

Regular Presentation

Dinosaurs or Dragons: the cultural identity of fossils Abstract

Speaker: Gavin Bradley, Science MOOC Coordinator and ATS Assistant Lecturer, Faculty of Science at the University of Alberta

This meeting will also include our annual AGM.

NOTE: This field trip is now full.

Leader: Steve Kary

Palaeontologist Steve Kary will lead us to several interesting Upper Cretaceous sites along the Red Deer River valley near Dorothy, Alberta. Steve has been doing active research in this area for the past few seasons. He has a number of sites for us to visit, possibly including a lower Horseshoe Canyon Formation dinosaur bonebed (slumped into two separate outcrops); an invertebrate site; Ophiomorpha ichnofossils; and rippled sandstone beds. Expect to hike in rugged badlands terrain with long slopes heading in and out of the main valley. There is a fee of $40 per member for this trip to help offset expected costs. Further, due to restricted private access, we can only accommodate 20 members so if you are interested please register early to avoid disappointment. This field trip is just one day in length and Dorothy is about a 2-hour drive east of Calgary. More details to follow.

To register for this and any other trips, download and complete the field trip permission form.

The registration deadline is June 1.

Leader: Tako Koning

If you missed this tour previously, Tako will again lead us to the famous Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (formerly the “K/T boundary”) site on Knudsen’s farm near Huxley, AB. This boundary marks the end of the dinosaurs and this particular site has contributed materially to our knowledge of what happened to the world at that time. Huxley is about a 2-hour drive from Calgary. This is a single-day trip with fee of $10.

To register for this and any other trips, download and complete the field trip permission form.

The registration deadline is July 1.

Leader: Keith Mychaluk

The Upper Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation in Montana is world-famous for its cache of iconic dinosaur remains such as Tyrannosaurus rex, Nanotyrannus and Triceratops. However, gaining access to sites to hunt for vertebrate fossils in the “Treasure State” are extremely limited. Through its contacts, the APS has secured access to a private ranch within rich Hell Creek fossil beds south of Jordan, Montana. Jason Phipps, the older brother of Clayton Phipps (from the TV Show Dino Hunters), has recently been allowing groups to collect on his land for a fee. We expect to excavate at an extremely rich microvertebrate fossil site on the ranch that regularly yields theropod, herbivore and mammal teeth. We will be allowed to keep what we collect—with the exception of very valuable fossils (Jason uses these funds to supplement his family income on his small cattle ranch). We are hoping to add an additional site (possibly an invertebrate locality) and/or a facility tour (such as a museum or preparation lab) to this trip. Again, watch the Bulletin for updates.

Proposed Itinerary

• Thursday, July 25: Travel to Jordan, MT.
• Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27: Caravan (40 minutes) each day to and from Jason Phipps Ranch; Expect long, hot days with lunch in the field with no facilities.
• Sunday, July 28: TBD: Explore nearby Bearpaw Formation invertebrate sites and/or museum tour.
• Monday, July 29: Return to Calgary.

Jordan is a 9-hour drive from Calgary (excluding the time required to cross the USA-Canada border, which can be quite variable). Participants will have to find their own way to and from Jordan. NOTE! There are very limited basic accommodations in Jordan (Garfield Motel, K&K RV Park, Old Dorm RV Park and Motel 200) with camping likely the best option (Contact Keith for more information). Participants will have to make their own sleeping and travel arrangements to and from Jordan. The fee for collecting on Jason’s ranch is us$125 cash per person, PER DAY (total US $250 for two days—payable to Jason directly on July 26). There may be additional fees so watch for updates in future issues of the Bulletin. There are no restrictions for attendance but motel space could be a limiting factor.

To register for this and any other trips, download and complete the field trip permission form.

The registration deadline is July 1.

Leaders: Dr. Emily Bamforth and Mona Trick

Two trips in one! This extended three-day trip is organized into two parts, namely:

Part 1 — Grande Prairie

You can either choose to be a “Digger” or a “Fossil Preparator.” Both groups will tour the museum and collections of the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum near Wembley (west of Grande Prairie) at a special museum entrance price kindly offered by the museum. The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum features a wide array of fossils, specializing in those from the nearby Pipestone Creek bone bed. “Diggers” will tour the museum starting at 1:00 p.m. on the afternoon of Saturday August 24. Then on Sunday, August, 25, the “Diggers” will excavate dinosaur bones at the nearby Pipestone Creek Bone Bed, for the full day (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Lunch will be provided. Maximum of 10 people. Minimum age is 12 years old. Each minor child must be accompanied by one adult. The fossils from at least 27 individuals of Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai were excavated from the Pipestone Creek bone bed of the Wapiti Formation (approximately 72.6 million years old, Campanian Age of the Late Cretaceous). This is one of the densest bone beds in North America. It extends at least 1 km into the hill and contains fossils from hundreds of individuals. “Fossil Preparators” will tour the museum start-ing at 9:00 a.m. on the morning of Sunday, August 25. Lunch will not be provided. Prepare fossils for the afternoon in the museum’s lab. At 2:30 p.m. you can join an optional outing to hike to the Pipestone Creek Bone Bed to watch the “Diggers” in action. Maximum of 5 people. Minimum age is 12 years old. Each minor child must be accompanied by one adult.

Part 2 — Grande Cache

On the morning of Monday, August 26, 2024, we will tour the extensive dinosaur trackways near the CST Coal mine outside of Grande Cache. Gather at 8:00 a.m. at the Grande Cache Tourism and Interpretive Centre (9701 Highway 40, Grande Cache) for the safety orientation and then we will board the provided bus, passing through the CST Coal Mine to see the tracks. We then return to the Grande Cache Tourism and Interpretive Centre at about 1:00 p.m. For the afternoon, we will visit a couple of nearby sites and enjoy our lunches in the field. The tracks are in the Grande Cache Member of the Gates Formation (middle Albian of the Early Cretaceous). There are a variety of different tracks, including those from quadrupedal dinosaurs (nodosaurid ankylosaurs?), bipedal dinosaurs (theropods and ornithopods?) and invertebrate burrows. Most tracks are on nearly vertical rock faces, tilted upwards by mountain-building processes. Bring your binoculars to better view the tracks. Maximum 20 people. Minimum age is 12. TWO adults are required for EACH child aged 12 to 16 years. ONE adult per EACH child aged 17 to 18. CSA certified safety glasses and work bootsare MANDATORY. Hard hat and high visibility vests are also MANDATORY. Hard hats and high visibility vests can be borrowed from the CST Coal mine if you notify Mona Trick (giftshop@albertapaleo.org) when you register.

You can select both parts or just a single part of this trip (for example only the Grand Cache tracks). Note the maximum numbers for each part and requirements for number of adults for each minor. For this field trip, you MUST send the completed waiver, Grande Cache Tracksite Tour Agreement and emergency contact form to Mona Trick (giftshop@albertapaleo.org or phone 587-578-4579) BEFORE August 13, 2024. You can drive (7.5 hours from Calgary) or fly to Grande Prairie Airport and rent a car (several car rental places are available). In any case, you will need your own transportation for the 20 minute drive from Grande Prairie to the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum near Wembley and for the 10 minute drive from the Museum to the Pipestone Creek Day Use Area on the next day. Several hotels in Grande Prairie offer discounts for those registered with this museum program. Contact Mona Trick for details. Grande Cache is a 7 hour drive from Calgary. Grande Cache and Grande Prairie are 2 hours apart via Highway 40. Arrange your accommodation in Grande Cache early because it has only four motels, and some may already be booked. Grande Cache also has several nearby Provincial Parks with camping. Contact Mona Trick for details.

FEES

Part 1—Grande Prairie

• “Diggers”—Tour Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum and dig in Pipestone Creek Bone Bed (maximum 10.) Adult:$212.00; Child (12–17):$174.00.
• OR“Fossil Preparators”—Tour Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum and prepare fossils in the lab (maximum 5). Adult:$12.00; Child (12–17):$6.00

Part 2—Grande Cache

• Tour Dinosaur Tracks (maximum 20) Adult or child (12–17): $40.00

To register for this and any other trips, download and complete the field trip permission form.

Registration deadline is July 19, 2024.

Main Speaker: Emily Bamforth will be speaking on “Fifty Years at Pipestone Creek: New discoveries and insights from Canada’s densest dinosaur bonebed in the Late Cretaceous Wapiti Formation, northwest Alberta.” Abstract

Note that this meeting will be online only. Please monitor your email for the Zoom link, which will be sent out before the meeting.

Main Speaker: Cory Gross will be speaking on “The History and Prehistory of the North American Buffalo”.

Short Talk: Atharva Roy will give a brief presentation on the process of making 3D scans of our fossils.

by Mona Trick

Aid the research of Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak of the University of Calgary by searching the matrix (soil) from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene) of Saskatchewan to find tiny fossils. We will be using microscopes in room B140 at Mount Royal University because construction has closed the room we used previously. Join us from 1:00 until 3:30 pm. on the following Sundays:

• October 20, 2024
• November 17, 2024
• December 1, 2024

We are very grateful to Mount Royal University for allowing us to use their microscopes and lab.

Registration is not required, but if you let Mona Trick (cell: (587) 578-4579 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org) know that you are planning to attend, then she can inform you if we need to cancel this session. No experience is required. Due to the delicate nature of this work, only those 12 years and older are allowed to search for the microfossils. Bring tweezers or a small paint brush to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds. All of the fossils found will be used to aid their research.

Stay tuned to the December Bulletin for the dates of the microfossil sorting sessions in January and February, 2025, when we will be once again searching using microscopes for tiny fossils.

Location

TBD

Main Speaker: Sally Hurst of Macquarie University, Australia, will be speaking on “Human-Fossil Interactions in Ancient and Modern Contexts”. This talk will be online. Abstract

Short Talk: Tako Koning, P. Geol., Senior Geologist and Dr. Dale Leckie, author and adjunct professor in the Faculty of Earth, Energy and Environment, University of Calgary will be speaking on “The Great Sands Hills, Southwest Saskatchewan: Among the Largest Active Sand Dunes in Canada”. This talk will be in person. Abstract

by Mona Trick

Aid the research of Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak of the University of Calgary by searching the matrix (soil) from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene) of Saskatchewan to find tiny fossils. We will be using microscopes in room B140 at Mount Royal University because construction has closed the room we used previously. Join us from 1:00 until 3:30 pm. on the following Sundays:

• November 17, 2024
• December 1, 2024

We are very grateful to Mount Royal University for allowing us to use their microscopes and lab.

Registration is not required, but if you let Mona Trick (cell: (587) 578-4579 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org) know that you are planning to attend, then she can inform you if we need to cancel this session. No experience is required. Due to the delicate nature of this work, only those 12 years and older are allowed to search for the microfossils. Bring tweezers or a small paint brush to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds. All of the fossils found will be used to aid their research.

Stay tuned to the December Bulletin for the dates of the microfossil sorting sessions in January and February, 2025, when we will be once again searching using microscopes for tiny fossils.

Location

TBD

The Alberta Palaeontological Society is excited to invite you to a special overnight event at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller, Alberta!

Date: Friday, November 22 - Saturday, November 23

Itinerary:

• Friday Evening:
  • 6:30 PM: Arrive at the museum
  • Participate in fun palaeontology activities
  • Enjoy snacks
  • Lights out for the night
• Saturday Morning:
  • Breakfast
  • Explore the galleries!

Price: $51 per person

Your ticket includes:

• Evening Snacks & Breakfast
• Palaeontology activities
• Full-day admission to the museum

This is a fantastic event for kids & families, but we require at least one adult per five children. Please note also that only children between 5 - 13 years old and their adults are eligible to attend.

Space is limited — we’re only accepting the first 20 registrants, so don’t delay!

This program often fills up quickly, so the deadline for registration is October 21!

Additional Information: Visit Royal Tyrrell Museum Camp-Ins for more details.

This is a rare opportunity during the winter months when palaeontology events are usually scarce, so invite friends and family who share your interest in ancient life. Even if they’re not yet APS members, this could be the perfect introduction!

by Mona Trick

Aid the research of Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak of the University of Calgary by searching the matrix (soil) from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene) of Saskatchewan to find tiny fossils. We will be using microscopes in room B140 at Mount Royal University because construction has closed the room we used previously. Join us from 1:00 until 3:30 pm. on the following Sundays:

• December 1, 2024

We are very grateful to Mount Royal University for allowing us to use their microscopes and lab.

Registration is not required, but if you let Mona Trick (cell: (587) 578-4579 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org) know that you are planning to attend, then she can inform you if we need to cancel this session. No experience is required. Due to the delicate nature of this work, only those 12 years and older are allowed to search for the microfossils. Bring tweezers or a small paint brush to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds. All of the fossils found will be used to aid their research.

Stay tuned to the December Bulletin for the dates of the microfossil sorting sessions in January and February, 2025, when we will be once again searching using microscopes for tiny fossils.

Location

Mount Royal University Room B140

APS Social!

Join us for our December potluck social! Bring any fossils or anything else you’d like to share and a dish to share. We look forward to seeing you there!

by Mona Trick

Search for tiny fossils to aid the research of Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak of the University of Calgary. Join us as we use microscopes to search the matrix (soil) from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene, about 50 million years old) of Saskatchewan to find teeth, scales, skull elements and other fossils from mammals, reptiles and amphibians. We will be using microscopes in room B140 in the Main Building of Mount Royal University from 1:00 until 3:30 pm. on the following Sundays:

• January 12, 2025
• January 26, 2025
• February 2, 2025
• March 2, 2025

Registration is not required, but if you let Mona Trick (cell: (587) 578-4579 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org) know that you are planning to attend, then she can inform you if we need to cancel this session. No experience is required. Due to the delicate nature of this work, only those 12 years and older are allowed to participate. Bring tweezers (with pointed ends) or a small paint brush to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds. All of the fossils found will be turned over to Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak for their research. We want to thank Mount Royal University for allowing us to use their microscopes and lab.

Location

Mount Royal University Room B140

Short Talk: Mona Trick, P.Eng., APS Lifetime Member: “Royal Ontario Museum: Early Life Exhibit” Abstract & Bio

Main Talk: Dr. Jon Noad Dinosaurs Going Postal!

by Mona Trick

Search for tiny fossils to aid the research of Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak of the University of Calgary. Join us as we use microscopes to search the matrix (soil) from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene, about 50 million years old) of Saskatchewan to find teeth, scales, skull elements and other fossils from mammals, reptiles and amphibians. We will be using microscopes in room B140 in the Main Building of Mount Royal University from 1:00 until 3:30 pm. on the following Sundays:

• January 26, 2025
• February 2, 2025
• March 2, 2025

Registration is not required, but if you let Mona Trick (cell: (587) 578-4579 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org) know that you are planning to attend, then she can inform you if we need to cancel this session. No experience is required. Due to the delicate nature of this work, only those 12 years and older are allowed to participate. Bring tweezers (with pointed ends) or a small paint brush to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds. All of the fossils found will be turned over to Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak for their research. We want to thank Mount Royal University for allowing us to use their microscopes and lab.

Location

Mount Royal University Room B140

by Mona Trick

Search for tiny fossils to aid the research of Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak of the University of Calgary. Join us as we use microscopes to search the matrix (soil) from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene, about 50 million years old) of Saskatchewan to find teeth, scales, skull elements and other fossils from mammals, reptiles and amphibians. We will be using microscopes in room B140 in the Main Building of Mount Royal University from 1:00 until 3:30 pm. on the following Sundays:

• February 2, 2025
• March 2, 2025

Registration is not required, but if you let Mona Trick (cell: (587) 578-4579 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org) know that you are planning to attend, then she can inform you if we need to cancel this session. No experience is required. Due to the delicate nature of this work, only those 12 years and older are allowed to participate. Bring tweezers (with pointed ends) or a small paint brush to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds. All of the fossils found will be turned over to Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak for their research. We want to thank Mount Royal University for allowing us to use their microscopes and lab.

Location

Mount Royal University Room B140

Main Speaker: Dr. James Kirkland, Utah’s State Paleontologist - “Eggs, Nests, and Dinosaur Behavior: Evidence from the Morrison Formation, Colorado Plateau” Abstract Bio

by Mona Trick

Search for tiny fossils to aid the research of Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak of the University of Calgary. Join us as we use microscopes to search the matrix (soil) from the Cypress Hills Formation (Middle Eocene, about 50 million years old) of Saskatchewan to find teeth, scales, skull elements and other fossils from mammals, reptiles and amphibians. We will be using microscopes in room B140 in the Main Building of Mount Royal University from 1:00 until 3:30 pm. on the following Sundays:

• March 2, 2025

Registration is not required, but if you let Mona Trick (cell: (587) 578-4579 or giftshop@albertapaleo.org) know that you are planning to attend, then she can inform you if we need to cancel this session. No experience is required. Due to the delicate nature of this work, only those 12 years and older are allowed to participate. Bring tweezers (with pointed ends) or a small paint brush to pick the tiny fossils from the soil and a pen to label your finds. All of the fossils found will be turned over to Dr. Jessica Theodor and Dr. Alex Dutchak for their research. We want to thank Mount Royal University for allowing us to use their microscopes and lab.

Location

Mount Royal University Room B140

The speaker schedule for the symposium has been announced! See the symposium page for more details.

The field of scanning fossils has been booming recently! Fossil scans have been used to digitize collections, create 3D models, and even to study the internal anatomy of fossils. This workshop will cover the basics of scanning fossils, including the different types of scanners, how to prepare fossils for scanning, and how to process the data. The workshop will also include a hands-on scanning session, where participants can practice scanning fossils themselves.

Dr. Emily Bamforth and Jackson Sweder of the Philip J. Currie Museum and Atharva Roy (APS) will be leading the workshop.

For more information, see the symposium page.

Short Talk: Dr. Leslie Eliuk - “Visit to Mammoth Site at Hot Springs, South Dakota” Abstract and Bio

Main Talk: François Therrien, Ph.D. Curator of Dinosaur Palaeoecology, Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology - “What really killed the dinosaurs? A look at the latest developments” Abstract Bio

The extinction of dinosaurs, which occurred 66 million years ago during an event called the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction, is one of the most talked-about topics in paleontology. Many theories have been proposed to explain the disappearance of these fantastic beasts, invoking causes ranging from the mundane to the extraterrestrial. Despite frequent claims of “ground-breaking discoveries” making the headlines in the media, the exact details of the K-Pg mass extinction remain shrouded in mystery. Although it is widely known that dinosaurs were wiped out during the K-Pg mass extinction, people often don’t realize that many other types of animals also went extinct at the same time, both in the oceans and on land, resulting in the disappearance of nearly 75% of all species on Earth. For several decades,scientists have argued over whether dinosaurs went extinct gradually, over millions of years in response to environmental changes, or suddenly in response to a catastrophic event. The debate still rages on, but there are now several lines of evidence that suggest that dinosaurs were going strong until at least 50,000-100,000 years prior to their extinction and that they went extinct suddenly. But what cause/event could have caused their extinction? In his presentation, Dr. Therrien will review what we know about the state of the world at the end of the Cretaceous, the latest scientific discoveries, the “accuracy” of the various hypotheses proposed to explain the demise of the dinosaurs, and conclude with a likely scenario for the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction.

Main Talk: Ashley Hall will present on “A Brief History on the Evolution of Birds”. Abstract Bio

This meeting will include our annual AGM. Please come prepared to vote on the new board members.

Leader: Georgia Hoffman

Our own Georgia Hoffman, a palaeobotanist, is volunteering to lead our first expedition to Washington State. We will gather in Republic, WA to tour the Stonerose Interpretive Center & Eocene Fossil Site (see www.stonerosefossil.org). The locality entombs an Eocene (49 million year old) fossil ecosystem including flora, fauna and insects that were buried under volcanic ash and sediments within an ancient lake. Along with an interpretive centre tour, we will be able to excavate the shale beds and search for our own fossils! This is a family-friendly venue and should be a great educational experience. Republic is about a 9-hour drive from Calgary. Note the date is subject to change as details are still pending. The fee is $10, plus a fee payable to Stonerose (around $18 USD).

To register for this and any other trips, download and complete the field trip permission form.

Registration deadline is May 30.

Leader: Tako Koning

If you missed this tour previously, Tako will again lead us to the famous Cretaceous-Paleocene boundary (formerly the “K/T boundary”) site on Knudsen’s farm near Huxley, AB. This boundary marks the end of the dinosaurs and this particular site has contributed materially to our knowledge of what happened to the world at that time. Huxley is about a 2-hour drive from Calgary. This is a single- day trip. The fee is $10.

To register for this and any other trips, download and complete the field trip permission form.

Registration deadline is July 1.

Leaders: Les Wingerter & Keith Mychaluk

APS member Les Wingerter will guide our group to a well-known dinosaur bone-bed eroding along the shores of a local reservoir. For a few of us “old members,” this will be a fun follow-up to a 1990s APS trip to the same locality. The site remains productive with the winds of southern Alberta constantly whipping up erosional waves and exposing new glimpses to the past. A 45-minute drive from the reservoir to a nearby dam will give our group an opportunity to explore a boulder field with scattered dinosaur footprints. The boulders are being ripped up from strata at the base of the dam’s spillway. Both localities will be suitable for families and involve short walks. The access water in mid July will likely be welcome too! There are many great campsites immediately adjacent to these localities. Please note this is a single-day trip. Raymond is about a 3-hour drive from Calgary (or 30 mins from Lethbridge). The fee is $10.

To register for this and any other trips, download and complete the field trip permission form.

Registration deadline is July 1.

This will be the final trip I organize for APS and it will help fulfil a childhood dream. My mother is from Montana and, as a child, I often studied road maps on many of our family trips back to her home state. On the official highway map of Montana, I saw a “point of interest” labelled “Grasshopper Glacier.” I subsequently learned that a swarm of Rocky Mountain Locust (Melanoplus spretus), a now extinct species, had become entombed in glacial ice at this spot sometime in the distant past. The glacier is located near the highest peaks in North America. Nearby Granite Peak is 3903 m (12,807 ft) in elevation! For decades, I had assumed the site was only heli-accessible but have since discovered the journey to and from the glacier may be made in a day. We are enlisting professional help from Beartooth Mountain Guides to lead us to our goal.

Using rented UTVs, we will depart Cooke City, MT and traverse approximately 10 miles of “road” to near Goose Lake, just within the Beartooth-Absaroka Wilderness boundary. From the lake, we will have to hike the remaining 3.5 miles, with an elevation gain of about 400 m (1300 ft). The hike is not particularly challenging but participants should expect off-trail travel over boulders and exposure to wind, sun and quick weather changes due to the high elevation (over 3000 m or 10,000 ft), all in bear country! Afternoon thunderstorms or even flurries are possible. The hike is extremely scenic and will take about 6 to 7-hours, round-trip. We hope to spend a minimum of one hour at the glacier before making the long journey back to Cooke City. The glacier has shrunk dramatically over the past 100 years and we may discover there are no remaining grasshoppers to observe within the ice. We will also visit an aban- doned copper mine along the same route and learn about the unique geology of the region. This trek is only recommended for those in good physical condition and, preferably, with backcountry experience. Note this portion of the trip will include a professional guide fee (us$200 per person) as well as a portion of the UTV rental (approx. us$75 per person); details are to follow.

Part two of our Montana journey will be much easier! Adjacent to scenic Beartooth Lake (about 45 minutes from Cooke City) lies a rare Devonian fish and shark fossil site. A red patch in the mid- dle of Beartooth Butte is deposits from an ancient channel system, similar to Alberta’s Yahatinda Formation. Conveniently, there is a nice US Forest Service campground at the lake and about an hour’s hike from here will get us to the locality. The site is located on a steep slope, which is exposed to quick weather changes. Although much shorter than the Grasshopper Glacier journey, I recommend you have hiking experience in the mountains before participating. However, the drive between Cooke City and Red Lodge, Montana is absolutely breathtaking and is well worth the trip on its own! It is easily comparable to, if not better than, the Going-to-the-Sun Highway in Glacier National Park. There are plenty of tourist accommodations in Cooke City and Red Lodge and many campgrounds—but expect cool to cold nights, even in August.

Note that both localities are protected sites (no collecting allowed), although we hope to photodocument fossils you are unlikely to see anywhere else. Many more details are to follow. If you sign up for this trip, please indicate if you wish to participate in one or both parts of this trip. I recommend taking 2-days to drive from Alberta to Cooke City (be warned that Google Maps will provide you with inaccurate routes until the Beartooth Highway re-opens in the spring—otherwise you will encounter some very bad advice!)

To register for this and any other trips, download and complete the field trip permission form.

Registration deadline is July 15.

Once again, Tako Koning has agreed to conduct his popular tour of Calgary structures adorned in Ordovician-aged Red River Formation limestone originally quarried in Tyndall, Manitoba. See impressively preserved fossils of corals, gastropods, nautiloids and receptaculitid algae at Calgary landmarks like the historic Bank of Montreal building. This will be a walking tour of several buildings in downtown Calgary, the community of Kensington and the SAIT campus and is suitable for all ages. The fee is $10.

To register for this and any other trips, download and complete the field trip permission form.

Registration deadline is September 1.

Dr. Jessica Theodor, University of Calgary - “New species found at John Day Fossil Beds”

Tako Koning, Consulting Geologist - “Joggins, Nova Scotia”

Dr. Chris Jass, Royal Alberta Museum - Topic TBD

Save the date!

We’re planning another overnight adventure at the Royal Tyrrell Museum this Nov 28–29 (dates to be finalized). Fossils, fun, and a night at the museum!

Details from last year: March 2025 Bulletin.

Stay tuned & check for updates at our events page.

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This meeting will include our annual AGM.

Speakers TBD

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