Bill to Name Washington’s State Dinosaur Faces Extinction

An asteroid likely killed Suciasaurus Rex 65 million years ago.

On Tuesday the carnivore died from neglect in the Washington State House of Representatives.

Legislation that would have made T-Rex and velociraptor's cousin the state dinosaur failed to make it out of the Rules Committee before a key deadline. All pieces legislation had to have been approved out of their respective 'houses of origin' in the state legislature by February 15th.

The only dinosaur first discovered in Washington State, Suciasaurus Rex was found in the Sucia Islands, part of the San Juan Islands, in 2012. An elementary school class started the push to recognize the therapod after requesting legislation from Representative Melanie Morgan.

It is possible that Suciasaurus Rex never actually roamed Washington State. Some scientists believe the dinosaur lived somewhere between Baja California, Mexico, and Northern California. It's fossil may have traveled to Washington through the movement of plate tectonics.

Quincy Representative Alex Ybarra was the sole Republican sponsor of the bill, joining five Democrats.