A groundbreaking fossil discovery in the Comox Valley has left an indelible mark on the field of paleontology in British Columbia, sparking a wave of amateur paleontologists and reshaping the province's scientific landscape.
In the late 1980s, Richard Hebda, then head of botany at the Royal BC Museum, received a report of an intriguing fossil find on the Puntledge River. With some skepticism, he visited the home of Mike Trask, an amateur fossil hunter. Little did he know, this visit would change the course of paleontological history in B.C.
Trask's discovery, a string of grey tubular rocks, turned out to be fossil vertebrae from a large vertebrate. This find was significant as it revealed the presence of an elasmosaur, a marine reptile from the late Cretaceous period, on Vancouver Island. It was the first of its kind discovered west of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
The impact of this discovery was immense. It inspired a surge of amateur paleontologists, many of whom went on to make hundreds of new discoveries. Trask's findings even led to the formation of the first paleontological society in the province, with over 100 members on Vancouver Island.
"It was like opening a door to a whole new world," Hebda reflected in a 2026 interview.
The story doesn't end there. With the help of an invertebrate paleontologist, Rolf Ludvigson, Trask and Ludvigson organized a paleontological excavation project. In 1991, they placed an ad seeking volunteers, and despite the challenging weather, over 50 people showed up. Over three months, the team excavated and removed an impressive 100 cubic meters of earth, uncovering a nearly complete elasmosaur specimen.
This discovery had a ripple effect. Trask began teaching a course on local paleontology and geology, and his students made their own remarkable finds. One student, Joe Zanbilowicz, discovered a new marine reptile, later named Kourisodon puntledgensis, a unique mosasaur with razor-like teeth.
The group's enthusiasm led to the formation of the Vancouver Island Paleontological Society in 1992, becoming the province's first paleontological society. The society grew rapidly, and soon similar societies emerged in Victoria, Vancouver, and Qualicum Beach, all connected through the British Columbia Paleontological Alliance.
The Alliance played a crucial role in developing policies and regulations for fossil collecting, including a code of ethics and a ban on the commercial sale of B.C. fossils. This ensured that paleontologists could continue to study and learn from these valuable discoveries.
Over the years, fossil collectors in B.C. have made hundreds of new discoveries, including new genera and species. The Alliance's efforts transformed B.C. into a hub of paleontological activity, with new findings outpacing the ability of paleontologists to keep up.
In 2023, after decades of work by the British Columbia Paleontological Alliance, the province adopted Trask's elasmosaur as the provincial fossil, alongside other symbols like the Pacific dogwood and spirit bear. Despite the challenges of poor preservation, the elasmosaur's impact on paleontology was undeniable.
Sadly, Mike Trask passed away in 2025, just weeks before the official naming of his elasmosaur as Traskasaura sandrae. His legacy as a citizen scientist and his curiosity-driven approach will forever be remembered as a testament to the power of amateur paleontologists.
"The Mike Trask story is a reminder of the incredible contributions citizen scientists can make to the field of paleontology," said Dan Bowen, a founding member of the Alliance. "His curiosity and passion have left an indelible mark on B.C.'s scientific community."
The impact of Trask's discovery and the work of the British Columbia Paleontological Alliance has elevated B.C. to a new level of paleontological significance, and their story continues to inspire and educate.
