BLM paleontologist: Kanab fossil finds are reshaping understanding of ancient ecosystems

Dr. Alan Titus, PREA district paleontologist for the Bureau of Land Management, said recent discoveries in and around Kanab in Kane County are reshaping scientists’ understanding of ancient ecosystems and urged visitors to explore the area.

"I've known I wanted to be a paleontologist since I was 8 years old," Titus said, describing both his long interest in the field and the pace of work that follows a discovery. He told listeners that excavation and preparation are often lengthy: removing a specimen can take "months, possibly years," followed by laboratory preparation before researchers can determine whether a find represents a new species.

Titus said the Kanab area provides unusually rich exposures of rock and fossils. "It's literally like a giant treasure chest to the paleontologists," he said, adding that the region has preserved records of major environmental change over millions of years — from deserts to oceans to tropical forests — and that those records help scientists place local finds in a global context.

He described the emotional payoff for researchers when a specimen is ready for study: "The happy dance is, whoo whoo. I got a new skeleton." Titus also said the region offers depth for both scientists and visitors to explore, inviting people who want "to explore the frontier, have an adventure, and dig into the past" to come to Kanab.

Titus said he has lived in Kane County for about 20 years and called the pace of discovery there "amazing." He did not provide a list of specific specimens, excavation sites, institutional loan agreements, or dates for future fieldwork in the remarks recorded in the transcript.