FedEx moves 1,000 pound Triceratops skull to Smithsonian

What is another name for a large quadrupedal plant-eating ceratopsian dinosaur that had a frill of bone at the back of its skull and three prominent horns? A Triceratops of course! To give a size comparison, the fossil skull of this specimen is comparable to the size of a Smart car! So, when the Smithsonian needed to move this fragile cargo, they reached out to FedEx for assistance.

FedEx transported the Triceratops skull from Colorado University, where it had been on loan to its Museum of Natural History for over 40 years, back to the Smithsonian. It'll be newly available to researchers the world over to investigate the life of this dynamic dinosaur and better understand the world in which it lived.

“We are excited to have this Triceratops skull back here at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History,” the museum’s Sant Director Kirk Johnson said. “It is a holotype specimen – one that helped define the species – and we are excited to welcome researchers here to help in advancing our knowledge of this iconic animal.”

FedEx moved this shipment via Custom Critical, as a part of the company’s FedEx Cares “Delivering for Good” initiative, in which FedEx lends its global network and unparalleled logistics expertise to organizations with precious cargo requests and helps communities before, during and after crises. Learn more about FedEx Cares Delivering for Good initiative here.

Photo Credit: Jessica Nakano, Smithsonian Institution

Sources: CU Boulder’s beloved Triceratops returning home to Smithsonian | CU Boulder Today | University of Colorado Boulder, Triceratops | Description, Size, Fossil, Diet, & Facts | Britannica