A dinosaur vanishes on Halloween night. This Florida museum wants it back
A Florida museum is searching for an animatronic dinosaur that went missing from an exhibit on Halloween night.
The dinosaur is a 6-foot-long, 60-pound velociraptor, Charles Zidar, events director at the Museum of Archaeology, Paleontology & Science in New Port Richey, Florida, wrote in an email to McClatchy News.
Velociraptors were small, carnivorous dinosaurs known for their sharp claws. They appear frequently as hunters in the three Jurassic Park movies and are principal characters in the Jurassic World series.
The museum’s missing dino was part of an outdoor exhibit that is scheduled to open in December and run through February. It had been standing on a trailer with other dinosaurs as part of a promotional scene before it was taken, Zidar wrote.
The exhibit “Dinos & Dragons” will include life-size dinosaurs , virtual reality experiences, holograms, rides and other attractions, according to the museum’s website.
New Port Richey is on the west coast of Florida, about 40 miles from Tampa.
Zidar said he believes the dinosaur may have been stolen as part of a Halloween prank. A cut strap was found near where the dinosaur disappeared.
The museum is asking anyone with information on where the dinosaur is to contact the New Port Richey Police Department at (727) 841-4550. Police didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News
The museum is offering a $2,000 reward to anyone who helps get the dinosaur back.
The dino is valued at around $6,000, according to Zidar.
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