See the Ancient Whale Skull Recovered From a Virginia Swamp | National Geographic

when I first went to the site in the

when I first went to the site in the bottom of the river

bottom of the river

bottom of the river you see these whale bones and and shark

you see these whale bones and and shark

you see these whale bones and and shark teeth just poking out the rivers raging

teeth just poking out the rivers raging

teeth just poking out the rivers raging it’s like holding on to a car going 65

it’s like holding on to a car going 65

it’s like holding on to a car going 65 mile an hour down the highway everything

mile an hour down the highway everything

mile an hour down the highway everything east of the route 95 on east side of the

east of the route 95 on east side of the

east of the route 95 on east side of the United States was underwater at one time

United States was underwater at one time

United States was underwater at one time the Seas receded and what was left

the Seas receded and what was left

the Seas receded and what was left behind were ancient marine fossil

behind were ancient marine fossil

behind were ancient marine fossil deposits around 2013 actually pulled up

deposits around 2013 actually pulled up

deposits around 2013 actually pulled up some some of the fossils but there was a

some some of the fossils but there was a

some some of the fossils but there was a really large whale skull did not pull up

really large whale skull did not pull up

really large whale skull did not pull up try to figure out how we were going to

try to figure out how we were going to

try to figure out how we were going to dig it out and then how we were going to

dig it out and then how we were going to

dig it out and then how we were going to actually lift something that’s three to

actually lift something that’s three to

actually lift something that’s three to five hundred pounds from the bottom of a

five hundred pounds from the bottom of a

five hundred pounds from the bottom of a river in Blackwater and get it back up

river in Blackwater and get it back up

river in Blackwater and get it back up on to the boat today we were able to

on to the boat today we were able to

on to the boat today we were able to pull up a five million year old skull

pull up a five million year old skull

pull up a five million year old skull this is a baleen whale skull it’s very

this is a baleen whale skull it’s very

this is a baleen whale skull it’s very very large

very large

very large now let the skull is dried out a little

now let the skull is dried out a little

now let the skull is dried out a little bit I contacted Stephen Godfrey of the

bit I contacted Stephen Godfrey of the

bit I contacted Stephen Godfrey of the Calvert marine museum and he looked at

Calvert marine museum and he looked at

Calvert marine museum and he looked at the skull and he definitely confirmed

the skull and he definitely confirmed

the skull and he definitely confirmed that it was a baleen whale skull and

that it was a baleen whale skull and

that it was a baleen whale skull and we’re looking anywhere from four and a

we’re looking anywhere from four and a

we’re looking anywhere from four and a half to five and a half million years

half to five and a half million years

half to five and a half million years old the skull was around seven feet if

old the skull was around seven feet if

old the skull was around seven feet if it was complete just based on the

it was complete just based on the

it was complete just based on the evidence that we had so that we’re

evidence that we had so that we’re

evidence that we had so that we’re looking at it well that’s probably for

looking at it well that’s probably for

looking at it well that’s probably for close to 40 feet in length and somewhere

close to 40 feet in length and somewhere

close to 40 feet in length and somewhere around 30 tons so this was we’ve ignore

around 30 tons so this was we’ve ignore

around 30 tons so this was we’ve ignore the brain one set of the whale these

the brain one set of the whale these

the brain one set of the whale these were ancient shallow seas and often

were ancient shallow seas and often

were ancient shallow seas and often calving areas for whales so they’ve

calving areas for whales so they’ve

calving areas for whales so they’ve become a great food source for large

become a great food source for large

become a great food source for large sharks like Megalodon or very very large

sharks like Megalodon or very very large

sharks like Megalodon or very very large mako sharks so a lot of the bones that

mako sharks so a lot of the bones that

mako sharks so a lot of the bones that we find have lacerations or chomp marks

we find have lacerations or chomp marks

we find have lacerations or chomp marks from these large sharks you pull these

from these large sharks you pull these

from these large sharks you pull these fossils up and they tell a story the

fossils up and they tell a story the

fossils up and they tell a story the bite marks and lacerations arcs to the

bite marks and lacerations arcs to the

bite marks and lacerations arcs to the size of the of the teeth and the types

size of the of the teeth and the types

size of the of the teeth and the types of sharks they all tell a story and it’s

of sharks they all tell a story and it’s

of sharks they all tell a story and it’s a huge puzzle they’re putting the pieces

a huge puzzle they’re putting the pieces

a huge puzzle they’re putting the pieces together and this piece would actually

together and this piece would actually

together and this piece would actually fit right in here

fit right in here

fit right in here you