Royal Saskatchewan Museum looking to select a provincial dinosaur fossil

Saskatchewan has a provincial flower and a provincial bird. But when it come to extinct creatures, there is no love for dinosaurs. Tim Tokaryk wants that to change.

Tokaryk is a paleontologist based in Eastend who works with the Royal Saskatchewan Museum (RSM) in Regina. The RSM is currently holding a contest to select a provincial fossil.

"It was one way to promote the diversity of fossils we have in Saskatchewan," Tokaryk said. "We have over 100 million years of history from the dinosaurs and marine reptiles throughout the almost the entire age of mammals. So we have quite selection to choose from."

The choice has been narrowed down to seven candidates, which are all featured in an exhibit at the RSM:

• brontothere
• "Big Bert" the Carrot River crocodile
• "Mo" the long-necked plesiosaur
• Kyle Mammoth
• Herschel short-necked plesiosaur
• thescelosaur
• "Scotty" the T. Rex

Tokaryk said the list includes plant eaters to meat eaters; terrestrial animals to marine animals; mammals, dinosaurs, crocodiles, "pretty much the whole gamut."

The paleontologist is trying to keep an objective view of the contest.

Within an hours drive of town, I can hit almost 75 million years of vertebrate history.-  Tim Tokaryk

"Since I collected a lot of them, I really don't have a favourite. I'm trying to play it as neutral as possible."

Tokaryk said having immediate access to the diversity of fossils in Saskatchewan is "tremendous."

"Within an hours drive of town, I can hit almost 75 million years of vertebrate history," he said.

People wanting to vote in person can do so at the RSM now until April 25, 2016. Online voting will run from April 11-25.

Find all the fossil candidates here.