Page 51 - 2007 DT 12 Issues

mentary senses for detecting prey at August Annual Meeting of RRCIA for a number of years and has
short range—like smell, heat-sensing and Election an extensive financial background.
or electro-sensing receptors. At this time, there are no other
Based on various specimens ex- candidates for these positions. Other
tracted from limestone unearthed in The Friends of Red Rock Canyon candidates may be placed in nomination
110-million-year-old sediments in Annual Business Meeting will be held at from the floor.
Queensland, Australia, it is probable the Red Spring Picnic Area on Saturday, Members are also asked to vote for
that in some species only juveniles had August 18, beginning at 4 p.m. Members the 2008 budget proposal as recapped
teeth—rows of stout, implanted, conical will be asked to vote on page 7. There have been changes to
teeth with which they crushed their prey. for open board po- some of the item expense categories
As with human kids, one of the fossils’ sitions and to re- to more clearly allocate expenses that
teeth had a cavity. view and approve were consolidated in the previous
The biggest and most astonishing the Annual Budget budget. There has been no overall
ichthyosaur ever uncovered, however, is for 2008. increase in the budget over the 2007
a 210-million-year-old behemoth found The nominat- budget proposal.
in 1991 eroding from the streambed ing committee has John Mull’s Bar-b-Que wagon will
of the Sikanni Chief River in northern prepared the slate provide dinner. Water and soft drinks
British Columbia. It was discovered by of candidates for will be available.
the late Elizabeth Nicholls, a Canadian- election to the board
American paleontologist from the Royal of directors. Open Moving On
Tyrrell Museum in Alberta, Canada. The positions are for secretary, treasurer and two
find represents a new species, Shonisau- directors. The candidates are as follows: ed Rock Canyon National
rus sikanniensis. Secretary – Barbara Jorgensen; Conservation Area (NCA)
Over 68 ft in length, the fossil’s Barbara is currently the Campground Co- RManager Mark Rekshynskyj has
toothless skull measures 18.8 ft long ordinator for all campground operations, announced that he will be transferred
and its tail flipper, over 17 ft long. Its maintenance and rehabilitation. She has to Wilderness duty in the Las Vegas
eyes were at least 40 inches in diameter. been a Friends member since 2001. Barb area, however, no transfer date has been
The largest of its hockey-puck-shaped has worked in a secretarial capacity both given. He will remain as Acting NCA
vertebrae is 10.8 inches across. Judging professionally and as a volunteer for Manager until a replacement is hired.
from other 14.4 inch unrelated fossil various organizations. Mark has been a dedicated partner with
vertebrae found at the site, it is likely Treasurer – Ray Stafford; Ray has Friends in promoting the welfare of Red
that this specimen’s relatives grew even served on the board as Vice President Rock Canyon and has labored in many
larger, making the ichthyosaur the larg- and, for the last five years, has Chaired projects for its enhancement and protec-
est predator to have ever lived, bigger the Ways and Means Committee, where tion. His leaving will be a sad day for
than a Tyrannosaurus rex! Because of his activities included the selection, all. He will be missed.
its toothless skull, S. sikanniensis was purchase and management of Friends Ranger Kim McLean has accepted
presumably an undulating swimmer, too items sold to the Red Rock Canyon a position in Oregon. We wish her well
slow to chase its prey. It was probably Book Store. He is also a member of the in her new assignment.
an ambush predator. Cultural Resources Committee. Barron Haley—our talented unoffi-
The ichthyosaurus’s reign came to Director – Gary Vetter; Gary was cial photographer and Cultural Resource
an end in the middle Cretaceous when appointed to a director position by the Chair—and wife Ruth will be moving to
the epoch’s maximum temperature was board in the spring of 2007 as an ad- New Mexico. They were ushered out in
reached about 94-89 million years ago. dition to the existing board. Gary has style at a farewell party in May.
Most likely, it was due to a global climate assumed responsibility of the Cultural Barron has expanded the reach of
change, creating a “super greenhouse” Resources Committee, replacing Barron the Committee in recording and protect-
effect that saw the rise of flowering Haley who is leaving Las Vegas. He re- ing priceless rock art throughout and
plants, mass extinctions and the loss of tired as a Colonel in the U. S. Air Force beyond the National Conservation Area.
biodiversity in ocean ecosystems. and has been a substitute teacher in the Gary Vetter continues that vital process
S. sikanniensis’s record as the BIG- Clark County School District. as Barron’s replacement.
GEST predator to have ever lived—marine Director - Allen Freer was appoint-
or terrestrial—will not be broken soon. ed to a director position by the board in
We can be proud to claim the ichthyo- the spring of 2007 as an addition to the
saur as Nevada’s own state fossil! existing board. Allen has been a director News & Notes, continued on p.5

FORRC/July/2007 Page 3