Photo by Jim Reisinger.

DCist reader Jim Reisinger emailed this morning about an interesting sight he stumbled upon during their commute this morning. “I saw this giant triceratops on the back of a truck on my way to work at the intersection of Harvard and 16th Streets. Any thoughts on what they are using it for?” Reisinger guessed that the dino was heading to the Zoo. Turns out he was right: Zoo spokesperson Enica Thompson tells us that it’s “Uncle Beazley,” a life-size fiberglass triceratops which left the Zoo in February to get a facelift at the Smithsonian’s Office of Exhibits Central in Landover.

“He received a new coat of UV and weather resistant paint,” said Thompson. “Tomorrow, he will return to his exhibit area and our horticulture team will plant new flowers and shrubbery around him to spruce up his area.”

One hopes “Uncle Beazley” enjoyed his brief ride through Columbia Heights.