Name Our Dragon!
To celebrate the Charmouth Dragon River Festival, we’re running a competition to name one of our ichthyosaurs!
From Saturday, May 24th, until Saturday, May 31st, we’re asking our visitors to come up with a nickname for this incredible beast!
Many of the fossil reptiles we have on display around the Centre have been given nicknames by their finder. We’ve had Raffle the plesiosaur, as well as Gonzo and Sparkle the ichthyosaurs, but this one hasn’t got a name yet!
Discovered and excavated by Chris Moore in September 2024, this ichthyosaur is such a recent find it’s still being prepared. What has been revealed suggests it may even be a new, undescribed species!
Left: This ichthyosaur has a bizarre overbite, with a long and slender jaw unique to this discovery. Whether this is a result of injury, disease or a feature of this species is still to be determined. Right: The leading digits of the hind limbs have a concave edge, an unusual feature for ichthyosaurs from our beaches.
For more details on this amazing ichthyosaur check out our webpage on it!
The winning name will be announced the day of the Charmouth Dragon River Festival, Saturday, May 31st, on our social media platforms. The winner who submitted this name, picked at random by Chris Moore, will receive a mystery prize (via post or collection). Be sure to follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram or Bluesky to find out what to call it!
If you are joining us on Saturday, May 31st, then be sure to come along to our Seashore Scavenger Hunt too from 10am-11:30am.
For more details on the Charmouth River Dragon Festival, what it’s all about and the other events going on, please check out their website here.
