by Vladimir ALIFANOV, Cand. Sc. (Biol.), Borissiak Paleontological Institute (Moscow); Sofia SINITSA, Dr. Sc. (Geol. & Mineral.), Institute of Natural Resources, Ecology and Cryology, RAS Siberian Branch (Chita) Specialists and lovers of paleontology not once were in a quandary concerning the rarity of dinosaur habitats in a vast territory of Russia, especially noticeable in comparison with such neighboring countries as Mongolia and China. Indeed, to the north of the Asian desert belt rich in paleontological species, the frequency of fossils found in natural outcrops of root rocks decreases, but the number of findings associated with economic activity (road construction, mine and open-pit works) increases. The cause of such peculiarity is related in many ways to inaccessibility and turfed areas of many potential habitats. The progress in studies of dinosaur remains from Moscow, Kemerovo, Amur and other regions and areas of our country was discussed not once in mass media. Now we shall consider the findings from a recently discovered habitat in Transbaikalia. We'll begin from afar. In 1993, an event took place, remarkable for the world cultural life of the last decade of the 20th century, namely, the American blockbuster Jurassic Park directed by Stephen Spielberg was released. The movie had a triumphant success throughout the world in many ways due to realistic representation of extinct pangolins, namely, dinosaurs. It is interesting to note that majority of fossil movie heroes bear no relation to the Jurassic period*, as they lived later. However, this discrepancy in the science-fiction movie did not prevent it from playing almost a historic role associated with awakening of a widespread public *Jurassic period is one of the three periods of the Mesozoic. It lasted in the interval from 200 to 145.5 mln years, followed the Triassic period (251-200 mln years) and preceded the Cretaceous period (145.5-65.5 mln years).--Auth. стр. ... Читать далее