AS Jurassic World: Rebirth draws crowds to cinemas, some Malaysians may be wondering if their own country once hosted real dinosaurs.
While iconic names like Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops are mostly associated with North America, dinosaurs lived across the globe – including what is now Malaysia.
In fact, the first confirmed dinosaur fossil in Malaysia was unearthed in Bera, Pahang, back in 2014.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});A Malaysian-Japanese research team discovered a 23mm tooth fragment believed to belong to a spinosaurid, a fish-eating dinosaur related to the famed Spinosaurus.
The fossil, estimated to be 75 million years old, dates to the Late Cretaceous period and marks a key scientific milestone for the country.
Subsequent digs in the same region led to the discovery of more fossils believed to belong to ornithischian dinosaurs – a large group of mostly herbivorous species.
Familiar names like Stegosaurus and Triceratops fall within this category, characterised by bird-like hip structures.
Elsewhere in Malaysia, more finds have surfaced, including a 2014 expedition in Hulu Terengganu that uncovered fossilised teeth and dinosaur footprints.
Among them were impressions believed to belong to an Iguanodon and two other types: a long-necked sauropod and a meat-eating theropod.
Although Iguanodon is now considered a “wastebasket” taxon due to past misclassifications, the find still fuels excitement and scientific interest.
Palaeontologists caution that the exact locations of these discoveries are often kept confidential to prevent fossil theft and preserve their scientific value.
Despite the challenges posed by Malaysia’s tropical climate, dense rainforests, and limited local expertise, there is growing support to uncover more of the country’s prehistoric past.