The remains of what is believed to be an ancient mammoth have been revealed in northern Bulgaria, after Danube River water levels receded to a record low level.
Discovery and Significance
The animal’s remains were found on the river bed by a local resident of the Ryahovo village, who then alerted specialists in the Regional History Museum in the nearby town of Ruse. Museum Director Nikolay Nenov stated that experts recognized a lower jaw, two tusks, and possibly a mammoth rib, and that the bones will be removed for further examination to establish the origin and age of the find.
Nenov noted that any discovery of such ancient remains is very important for science, and it has been long believed that the site was a swamp where the animal probably died thousands of years ago.
Context and Cause
Danube levels have fallen to record lows in recent weeks following the summer’s prolonged heat waves and drought that have affected rivers across Europe, including key waterways such as the Rhine.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
