Not only did the discovery of Champsosaurs in the arctic tell paleontologists that that the geographic range of Champsosaurs was larger than previously believed, but it also gave paleoclimatologists greater insight into what the climate was like at this time. Fossilized trees have been found in the arctic, telling us that the area used to be much warmer than it is today. The discovery of reptile fossils tells us that the arctic must have been even warmer than was previously believed. Climatologists now estimate that the average annual temperature would have been about 14 degrees Celsius (57 degrees Fahrenheit), and summer temperatures could have been in the upper 20's to lower 30's Celsius (80's and 90's Fahrenheit).
For more information about the Champsosaurs of the arctic, "Tropical paradise at the Cretaceous Poles" appears in the December 18th, 1998 issue of Science.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park Champsosaur
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