11-Year-Old Boy Discovers 48-Million-Year-Old Turtle Fossil While Rock Hunting with Grandparents in Wyoming

An 11-year-old boy from Wyoming, USA, created a sensation in the paleontology world after discovering a nearly 48-million-year-old turtle fossil while collecting rocks with his grandparents on public land in southwest Wyoming. Turen Pope was exploring with his grandparents on public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) when he noticed unusual white shell-like objects, some broken and some intact. His family quickly realized the significance of the find and contacted his amateur geologist mother, who then followed the proper procedures to alert authorities. Experts confirmed it was an almost complete turtle fossil that had once been submerged in the ancient Lake Gosiute, which previously covered the Greater Green River Basin. The area was once a tropical floodplain rich with fish, crocodiles, and numerous turtles. The paleontologists classified it as a 'soft-shell turtle' with living descendants today. As a special privilege for discovering the fossil, the boy was allowed to participate in the excavation and name the fossil 'Little Timmy'. The fossil will be displayed at the Tate Geological Museum to help the public learn about Wyoming's natural history.