LUSBY, Md. – On the night of August 5, 2023, Emily Bzdyk, a volunteer for the Calvert Marine Museum, was collecting fossils along Calvert Cliffs when she discovered a 15 million-year-old dolphin skull.
Bzdyk’s discovery encouraged Stephen Groff and others from the museum to join Bzdyk on Sunday to help unearth the rest of the skull. Once removed from the ground, the skull was transported via boat to the museum.
Finding fossils like this is common in the Southern Maryland region. However, the team is a little more enthusiastic about this specific find, which is in an exceptional state.
“Rarely are they in this good of condition,” Groff stated.
This skull could also reportedly turn out to be a newly discovered species!
The skull will go through a drying process, followed by work to remove any remaining sediment carefully. Bzdyk will be in charge of the entire process.
During the process, museum visitors can spectate Bzdyk’s work in the coming weeks.
“It’ll probably take her a few months, takes several dozen hours to completely clean one of these skulls because we have to be very careful that we don’t break anything or cause any damage,” Groff stated.
Groff also reportedly stated that there is a good chance this isn’t a new species. Only further examination will tell. However, he reportedly suspects more species are yet to be discovered since it is believed that approximately 40 toothed mammals lived in the area during the Miocene period.
What do you make of this discovery? Let us know in the comments!
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How ironic. A 15 million year old fish head, in an @ 6,000 year old earth…
??????