Peter the T. rex is the first Tyrannosaurid to visit Aotearoa New Zealand. Photo / Harry Meister
He's three metres high and 11 metres long with frighteningly huge teeth and jaws powerful enough to crush bone, and he's more than 60 million years old.
Meet Peter the T. rex, Auckland War Memorial Museum's latest exhibit and the first tyrannosaurid to visit Aotearoa New Zealand (as far as we know).
In another achievement for Tāmaki Paenga Hira, this is the first public display of Peter anywhere in the world since his discovery in mud deposits on Wyoming's eastern boundary in 2018.
The display features the 60 individual bones that make up the 47 per cent skeleton uncovered from his mid-western grave, making Peter one of the most complete T. rex fossils ever found. Additional castings are used to create the entire frame.
Peter's remains have been extensively researched and analysed by Dr David Burnham, Dr Bruce Rothschild and Dr John Nudds, with the findings published in a paper that describes his initial discovery and preservation - and the revelation that he met a violent and horrific end. Teeth marks scraped across his femur and evidence of bones crushed in the jaws of another monster suggest that Peter was slain by a more ferocious T. rex, and had then been nibbled on by a smaller companion. Peter was killed and then partially eaten by more than one assailant.
Dr Matt Rayner, curator land vertebrates at Auckland Museum said "It's exciting to be able to host one of the most complete T. rex skeletons in the world as it goes on show for the first time. A T. rex skeleton is an incredibly rare sight in New Zealand and one containing real fossils is even rarer."
Over the six months of Peter's visit the museum will host a series of public programmes including interactive educational displays, immersive dinosaur performances, palaeontology for juniors and even dinosaur-themed birthday parties.
This exciting exhibition is the first in a series for the Auckland War Memorial Museum.
"2022 and 2023 will see the museum host a series of major international touring exhibitions dedicated to global prehistory and ancient civilisations, allowing New Zealanders to explore the world that came before us," said Dr David Gaimster, chief executive at Auckland Museum.
"We are delighted to bring these special experiences to Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa and we will be announcing more details shortly."
Free with museum entry, Peter the T. rex comes to Auckland from Friday 15 April 2022 and is on for a limited time until Sunday 4 September 2022.
The researchers aim to create early detection tests, improving survival rates.