Sue (dinosaur) facts for kids
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| Catalog number | FMNH PR 2081 |
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| Common name | Sue |
| Species | Tyrannosaurus rex |
| Age | 67–65.5 million years |
| Place discovered | Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, South Dakota |
| Date discovered | August 12, 1990 |
| Discovered by | Susan Hendrickson |
"Sue" is the famous nickname for FMNH PR 2081. This is one of the largest, most complete, and best-preserved Tyrannosaurus rex fossils ever found! Imagine finding the bones of a giant dinosaur that lived millions of years ago – that's what happened with Sue. This amazing skeleton is now a star attraction at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois.
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Finding Sue the T-Rex
Sue was discovered in the summer of 1990 by a brave paleontologist named Sue Hendrickson. A paleontologist is a scientist who studies fossils to learn about ancient life. The dinosaur was named "Sue" after her! After Sue Hendrickson found the bones, she contacted the Black Hills Institute. Their team helped to carefully dig up and prepare the amazing dinosaur bones.
Who Owned the Fossil?
After Sue was found, there was a long discussion about who truly owned the fossil. This involved the people who owned the land, the Sioux tribe, the United States Department of the Interior, and the Black Hills Institute. All these groups had different ideas about who should own the valuable dinosaur. Eventually, a court had to decide.
Sue's New Home
The fossil was then sold at an auction in October 1997. An auction is like a special sale where people bid money for an item. Sue sold for US$8.36 million! This was the highest amount ever paid for a dinosaur fossil at that time. The money to buy Sue was raised by many people contributing small amounts, which is called public subscription.
After being carefully prepared, the skeleton became a permanent feature at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois. Now, millions of visitors can see this incredible dinosaur up close.
How Big Was Sue?
Sue is truly enormous! This Tyrannosaurus rex fossil measures about 12.3–12.8 meters (40–42 ft) long. That's longer than a school bus! Sue stands about 4 meters (13 ft) tall at the hips. Imagine looking up at a dinosaur that tall!
Scientists have estimated Sue's weight to be between 8.4–14 metric tons (9.26–15.4 short tons). Sue is one of the largest Tyrannosaurus rex specimens ever found. Only another specimen nicknamed "Scotty" is thought to be slightly bigger.
Did Sue Have Gout?
Some researchers believe that Sue's skeleton shows signs of a painful condition called gout. Gout is a type of arthritis that can cause joints to swell and hurt. It's interesting to think that even giant dinosaurs might have suffered from similar health problems as people do today!
Images for kids
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"Sue" and other specimens to scale with a human
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Highlighted green are the real fossilized bones. The real skull is displayed separately.
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Skeletal reconstruction of Sue
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With the correct furcula in place, the shoulders are lowered and meet in the middle of the chest – bringing the arms closer to the ground..
