Zimbabwe Dinosaur Discovery USAGM
Metadata
- Zimbabwe Dinosaur Discovery USAGM
- October 26, 2022
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script English USAGM SHARE (PLAYBOOK SLUG: ZIMBABWE DINOSAUR DISCOVERY (TV) HEADLINE: Zimbabwe Basks in Discovery of Africa's Oldest Dinosaur TEASER: The bones of Mbiresaurus raathi are kept at the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo PUBLISHED: 10/26/2022 at 9am BYLINE: Columbus Mavhunga CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe VIDEOGRAPHER: Blessing Chigwenhembe VIDEO EDITOR: PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, Sharon Shahid VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original, Murphy Allen PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_ TRT: 3:14 VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath TYPE: TVPKG EDITOR NOTES:)) ((INTRO)) [[A national museum in Zimbabwe is displaying the remains of what scientists say is the oldest known dinosaur discovered in Africa. The skeleton was discovered in northern Zimbabwe, and researchers say it walked the Earth roughly 230 million years ago. For VOA, Columbus Mavhunga has more from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.]] ((NARRATOR)) Stored in this room at a museum in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, are some of the remains of Africa’s oldest known dinosaur, the Mbiresaurus raathi. Scientists say it lived 230 million years ago, during the Carnian stage of the Late Triassic period. Researchers say the dinosaur stood at least ((Mandatory CG: Murphy Allen)) a meter tall, was nearly two meters long, had a long neck, small head, serrated teeth, ran on two legs and weighed around 30 kilograms. A group of international scientists found the nearly complete set of remains in the Zambezi Valley, on Zimbabwe’s border with Mozambique and Zambia. Michel [pronounced "Michael"] Zondo is a curator at the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe. ((end courtesy)) ((Michel Zondo, Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe)) ((Eng. 22sec)) “We are looking at having another expedition back there in Mbire areas. We are hoping to find more [dinosaurs], because if we happen to find this one, to us, it is inspiring, and it is showing that there is a potential of finding even more of these things that haven’t been found before.” ((NARRATOR)) The remains were unearthed during expeditions in late 2017 and 2019. Now, the museum hopes to put it together for the public to see. ((Michel Zondo, Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe)) ((Eng. 22 sec)) “When they are bones like this, it’s difficult to tell what the actual animal looked like. So, it’s my desire that if we had enough funding, then we would mount a dinosaur so that anyone who comes in will be easy to see how Mbiresaurus looked like.” ((NARRATOR)) Mgcini Dube — an education officer at the museum — says the fossils bring forgotten ages back to life. ((Mgcini Dube, Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe)) “It was indeed quite surprising because more often than not, when you speak about dinosaurs, you always think that they are organisms that never existed. Now, the discovery proves that indeed they existed, especially in Zimbabwe.” ((NARRATOR)) ((Mandatory courtesy: Murphy Allen)) The discovery was announced in late August, but some are just learning the news, like this 16-year-old ((end courtesy)) history student who walked past the museum where the remains are being stored. I asked him if he knew where the oldest known dinosaur bones in Africa are being kept. ((Ngaaremekedzwe Matanhire, History Student)) ((Eng. 15 sec)) “No, no I do not. I was not aware that there were dinosaurs in Africa. I do not know where it is being kept. There are dinosaurs in Africa? This Africa?” ((NARRATOR)) The discovery is a point of pride for the country. And museum officials hope by raising awareness, they will get enough support to put the dinosaur together and showcase it to the world. ((Columbus Mavhunga, for VOA News, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe))
- Transcript/Script USAGM SHARE (PLAYBOOK SLUG: ZIMBABWE DINOSAUR DISCOVERY (TV) HEADLINE: Zimbabwe Basks in Discovery of Africa's Oldest Dinosaur TEASER: The bones of Mbiresaurus raathi are kept at the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo PUBLISHED: 10/26/2022 at 9am BYLINE: Columbus Mavhunga CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe VIDEOGRAPHER: Blessing Chigwenhembe VIDEO EDITOR: PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: MAS, Sharon Shahid VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original, Murphy Allen PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO _X_ TRT: 3:14 VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath TYPE: TVPKG EDITOR NOTES:)) ((INTRO)) [[A national museum in Zimbabwe is displaying the remains of what scientists say is the oldest known dinosaur discovered in Africa. The skeleton was discovered in northern Zimbabwe, and researchers say it walked the Earth roughly 230 million years ago. For VOA, Columbus Mavhunga has more from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.]] ((NARRATOR)) Stored in this room at a museum in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, are some of the remains of Africa’s oldest known dinosaur, the Mbiresaurus raathi. Scientists say it lived 230 million years ago, during the Carnian stage of the Late Triassic period. Researchers say the dinosaur stood at least ((Mandatory CG: Murphy Allen)) a meter tall, was nearly two meters long, had a long neck, small head, serrated teeth, ran on two legs and weighed around 30 kilograms. A group of international scientists found the nearly complete set of remains in the Zambezi Valley, on Zimbabwe’s border with Mozambique and Zambia. Michel [pronounced "Michael"] Zondo is a curator at the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe. ((end courtesy)) ((Michel Zondo, Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe)) ((Eng. 22sec)) “We are looking at having another expedition back there in Mbire areas. We are hoping to find more [dinosaurs], because if we happen to find this one, to us, it is inspiring, and it is showing that there is a potential of finding even more of these things that haven’t been found before.” ((NARRATOR)) The remains were unearthed during expeditions in late 2017 and 2019. Now, the museum hopes to put it together for the public to see. ((Michel Zondo, Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe)) ((Eng. 22 sec)) “When they are bones like this, it’s difficult to tell what the actual animal looked like. So, it’s my desire that if we had enough funding, then we would mount a dinosaur so that anyone who comes in will be easy to see how Mbiresaurus looked like.” ((NARRATOR)) Mgcini Dube — an education officer at the museum — says the fossils bring forgotten ages back to life. ((Mgcini Dube, Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe)) “It was indeed quite surprising because more often than not, when you speak about dinosaurs, you always think that they are organisms that never existed. Now, the discovery proves that indeed they existed, especially in Zimbabwe.” ((NARRATOR)) ((Mandatory courtesy: Murphy Allen)) The discovery was announced in late August, but some are just learning the news, like this 16-year-old ((end courtesy)) history student who walked past the museum where the remains are being stored. I asked him if he knew where the oldest known dinosaur bones in Africa are being kept. ((Ngaaremekedzwe Matanhire, History Student)) ((Eng. 15 sec)) “No, no I do not. I was not aware that there were dinosaurs in Africa. I do not know where it is being kept. There are dinosaurs in Africa? This Africa?” ((NARRATOR)) The discovery is a point of pride for the country. And museum officials hope by raising awareness, they will get enough support to put the dinosaur together and showcase it to the world. ((Columbus Mavhunga, for VOA News, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe))
- NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date October 26, 2022 09:32 EDT
- Byline Columbus Mavhunga
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America