Fossil of largest known land mammal uncovered in Çorum

ÇORUM – Doğan News Agency

The skeleton of the rhino was almost complete when it was found in Çorum.

A rhino fossil nearly 10 tons in weight and give meters in height has been found in Çorum’s Sungurlu district. The fossil dates back 23 to 27 million years and comes from the biggest known land mammal. The General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) teams have been working to remove the fossil.

The huge fossil was discovered last November, when a local shepherd informed authorities. Works will be completed at the end of this month and the entirety of the fossil will be brought to the surface within days, according to officials.

The skeleton of the rhino, which is called the hornless huge rhino, “Paraceratherium,” was almost complete when it was found.

Neşe Oyal, MTA History of Nature Museum geology engineer, said that it was very important to determine the migratory routes of the animal.

She said that the fossil had established a link between Anatolia and Asia.

“Within the scope of our project, we have unearthed nearly 60 rhino fossils,” she said. “The huge fossils include all parts of an adult male skeleton.”

Oyal said that the huge rhino fossil samples were very rare, found mostly in Mongolia, China, Central Asia and the Indian peninsula, with recent discoveries in Georgia and the Balkans. “We plan to merge all parts of the fossil and recreate it three-dimensionally,” she said.