A woman's rare discovery along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Calvert County, Maryland, could someday prove significant for science, experts say.
Emily Bzdyk, a volunteer at the Calvert Marine Museum on Solomons Island, was combing the shores along the Calvert Cliffs on Saturday when she spotted what looked like a bone in the shallow water. She was able to dig it out with the help of other museum volunteers.
That bone turned out to be a 15-million-year-old dolphin skull.
"It’s a really impressive find. It’s a really nice dolphin skull, said Stephen Groff, who manages the Calvert Marine Museum's fossil collection.
Bzdyk, an entomologist by training, is among generations of people who enjoy searching for fossils at the Calvert Cliffs, which have stood there for nearly 20 million years.
"There’s definitely that treasure hunter aspect, but it’s fascinating to learn about all these animals," she said.
Groff said it's rare to find a skull in such good condition.
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He said the dolphin would have had a long snout. The skull Bzdyk discovered appeared to be about 2 feet long, but Groff said some skulls from that time period can be up to 4 feet long.
"It could even be a new species. It’s probably not, but it could be. So it’s adding another little piece to the puzzle that was Calvert County 15 million years ago," Groff said.
Bzdyk couldn't hold back from smiling as she stood over her discovery.
She said she'll spend the next few months cleaning the silt and clay off of the skull before it goes on public display.
"It’s very exciting, I’m thrilled. It’s a cool feeling knowing that, you know, we got it out safely and it’s going to be here at the museum for, you know, science. It's a big win," Bzdyk said.
While many fossil hunters take pride in displaying their finds at home, Bzdyk said she's alright with the dolphin skull staying at the museum.
"I have a pretty large collection. There’s not going to be enough space in my house for something like this anyway, but I’m really happy it will be here and anyone can come see it," she said.
The Calvert Marine Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and people can watch volunteers work to clean the dolphin skull when they visit.
