Arizona Now Has a State Dinosaur Thanks To An 11-Year-Old From Scottsdale

Arizona now has a state dinosaur thanks to an 11-year-old boy from Scottsdale. 

Jax Weldon, a student at Hopi Elementary School, wrote a letter to Gov. Doug Ducey making the case for a state dinosaur for Arizona. Ducey then asked State Senator Kate Brophy-McGee to run a state dinosaur bill.

"He [Jax] touted the case for economic development, he touted the case for tourism. He made the case that this is something that will put Arizona in a good light," Brophy-McGee said.

Jax suggested the Sonorasaurus for the state dinosaur, a dinosaur that was discovered in Arizona. 

"And he knew of a dinosaur that was discovered in Arizona back in 1995, named the Sonorasaurus Thompsoni and he thought that would be a good candidate for an official state dinosaur," Brophy-McGee said.

Ducey signed the bill (SB1517) into law declaring the Sonorasaurus the state dinosaur on Tuesday. 

Jax, an aspiring paleontologist, knows all about the new state dinosaur said it is 27 feet tall, 50 feet long and had a long neck to reach the tree tops. 

The Sonorasaurus Thompsoni is not necessarily Jax's favorite dinosaur,  but he is still proud to help it take its place in Arizona history.

Source: www.tucsonnewsnow.com