After the loss of millions of years of history, the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre (CFDC) wanted to help the National Museum of Brazil.

"When the news hit of the fire at the National Museum in Brazil I started to read the headlines and realize very quickly the devastation in terms of the loss," explains CFDC Executive Director Peter Cantelon.

Cantelon notes Brazil has lost much of its natural and human history, including extinct languages that were preserved on tape recordings now lost to the flames.

With that level of loss, Cantelon says they had to reach out and offer an exhibit to the museum. "We don't have Brazilian artifacts, but we do have things like mosasaurs that do represent species that used to be present in Cretaceous Brazil."

The museum has accepted the CFDC's offer, though it may take a year or more for Brazil's paleontology department to prepare to receive the donation.

The CFDC won't be just sending a fossil mould but a team to help install the exhibit.

Cantelon notes the plan is to send two CFDC staff, himself and a paleontologist, Adolfo Cuetara who will be building the chosen kourisodon puntledgensis exhibit.

"What we're building is a science mission to Brazil," says Cantelon.

With an estimated budget of around $50,000 this endeavour won't be cheap explains Cantelon. Once Rio's museum is in the position to receive the exhibit, that's when the CFDC will be looking for sponsorship to help out with the project.

"We may not be a wealthy museum, but we knew that going into this. That's one of the neat things about reaching out and helping others is your first consideration is them," says Cantelon.

Even if sponsorships isn't possible, Cantelon says the CFDC is still committed to making this happen. "We're not going to be irresponsible; we're not going to dig a hole we can't get out of."

According to Cantelon, this is an opportunity to help a museum be reborn from the ashes. It's also a chance to connect with a fellow museum and possibly creating a long-term relationship with the paleontologists in Brazil.