Oil Slump Delays Fundraising For North Dakota Dinosaur “Mummy”

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A fundraising effort to keep Dakota the duckbilled dinosaur's permanent digs in Bismarck likely won't begin until late this year or early 2017.

The North Dakota Legislature last year agreed to pay $1.5 million in taxpayer money to buy the rare mummified dinosaur. But lawmakers said another $1.5 million must be raised from private funds.

Marlo Sveen is part of the fundraising effort and tells The Bismarck Tribune (http://bit.ly/25f5ubN ) that the time isn't right to solicit major donations due to North Dakota's economic slowdown from slumping oil activity.

Tyler Lyson (LEE'-suhn) discovered the dinosaur on his uncle's ranch in southwestern North Dakota in 1999.

Researchers say Dakota is one of the most important dinosaur discoveries in recent times.

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