Ancient Whale Fossils Millions of Years Old Discovered in Russia's Dagestan

Paleontologists have discovered the fossilized remains of a whale estimated to be at least several million years old during an expedition in Russia's Republic of Dagestan, shedding new light on the region's prehistoric marine life. Konstantin Tarasenko, Chief Curator of the Yuri Orlov Paleontological Museum, said the 15-day expedition focused on studying geological formations near Derbent, Dagestanskiye Ogni and Izberbash before researchers identified the most promising excavation site. Scientists Recover Whale Fossils From Solid Rock According to Tarasenko, the excavation proved especially challenging because the bones were embedded in dense shell limestone composed of fossilized shells and the remains of other marine animals. Over millions of years, the material hardened into rock, forcing researchers to carefully cut and extract each fossil.