André Bisson’s story went viral earlier this year after he bought a six-metre carnotaurus from Tamba Park for £1,000 following the site’s closure in 2019.
Much to the delight of Mr Bisson’s five-year-old son Theo, who named the beast Chaz, the dinosaur now resides in his back garden. However, up until now Chaz was unable to move and roar like he had done at his former home in St Lawrence.
But after putting out a social-media plea for the right specialists and equipment, Mr Bisson said he was inundated with offers from people wanting to help ‘wake up’ the creature.
‘Chaz is out of hibernation and is awake,’ said Mr Bisson. ‘Thanks to Stephen Rose in Jersey, who had one of the original control boxes. He sent it over during lockdown. We then had our own “dino doctor”, Jake Kennedy, who rewired everything and fitted him with a bluetooth device so his voice can be heard bellowing on the west coast of Guernsey.
‘We can even do karaoke with Chaz now – Bohemian Rhapsody was a favourite in the summer.’
Mr Bisson added that a laser-beam sensor had been fitted at ground level, so that anyone walking nearby automatically triggers movement from the terrifying prehistoric predator.
Along with Chaz, a baby raptor called Dave lives in the garden, and is now able to wag his tail after he too was ‘woken up’.
‘I also spoke to the “dinocologist” Chris in Jersey, who used to look after all the dinosaurs in Tamba Park. He gave me some excellent advice – hopefully next year we will fly him over so he can give Chaz and Dave a medical,’ Mr Bisson said, adding that Theo was ‘a little shy’ upon first hearing the growling roar emerge from the palm trees where Chaz spends his days.
‘Now he just loves Chaz,’ Mr Bisson said. ‘Chaz and Dave are part of our family and we are all so very happy to be spending our first Christmas together.’
