The Amazing Dinosaur Discovery employee Victor Li puts the missing dinosaur skull back on the creatures body. Photo / Warren Buckland
The Amazing Dinosaur Discovery employee Victor Li puts the missing dinosaur skull back on the creatures body. Photo / Warren Buckland
The missing dinosaur skull saga is over after the stolen item was found dumped at Napier's Park Island reserve three days after it went missing from the travelling roadshow.
The Amazing Dinosaur Discovery, currently located on Havelock North Village Green, was one dino down after tyrannosaurus rex's head went missingduring its final day in Napier.
Flaming Phoenix Entertainment business development manager Elly Moody said the missing head was found at Park Island, Napier, on Friday morning.
"A woman came across the head on her morning walk in Park Island in Napier - it was just dumped there apparently," she said.
"We're getting it back just in time for opening day on Saturday."
The missing dinosaur skull was found dumped at Napier's Park Island on Friday morning. Photo / Supplied
Moody said security guards noticed it had gone missing during their final checks after their last session in Napier.
"It would have gone missing at some point during the night - we don't think it was taken during the session when the public were around, as it'd be a little obvious," she said.
"We have full perimeter fencing and the tent itself is closed up, so it wouldn't be easy to get in. We also have security on site that do regular checks, so it's more than likely someone came into the tent outside of public access times."
Moody said they didn't report the alleged theft to police in the hope of the dinosaur skull's safe return.
"We don't want anyone to get in trouble for this – we just really wanted it back," she said.
The company were also offering a reward for the safe return of the head, "no questions asked".
The Amazing Dinosaur offers customers of all ages the chance to get up close and personal with 30 lifelike dinosaurs.
The activity involves a two-hour interactive walk among robotic dinosaurs and their jungle, which includes the Dino-mite playground, fossil-digging, rides and other close-up Jurassic experiences.
The tour started at Te Rapa, Hamilton, on Boxing Day, but was disrupted and rearranged several times during lockdown.
