7.7-million-year-old tiger fossil unearthed in Kayseri

KAYSERİ

A 7.7-million-year-old saber-toothed tiger fossil has been discovered this year during excavations near Yamula Dam in central Kayseri, Professor Okşan Başoğlu of Hacı Bayram Veli University’s Department of Anthropology has announced.

Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Memduh Büyükkılıç has recently visited the excavation site along with Başoğlu and Professor Pınar Gözlük Kırmızıoğlu, who serve on the project’s scientific advisory board.

The mayor took part in a symbolic dig at the site, which also features a 3D-printed replica of a giraffe fossil.

Noting that the fossils date back 7.7 million years, Büyükkılıç said the richness of the site could not be overlooked, noting the presence of elephants’ ancestors, rhinos, giraffes, three-toed horses and predators such as hyenas, among many other species.

He stressed the significance of elephant skulls found in the area and said that construction of a museum to display the fossils has been ongoing, expected to be finished by the end of next year.

Başoğlu said the region is extremely rich in fossils, with international scientists also participating in the project. They have published three scientific papers, she added, because the fossils are unique in the world.

Noting that this year’s excavations have been particularly fruitful, Başoğlu said, “We found a skull belonging to a three-trunked mammal. To discover something like this in a single season is almost a miracle. We are currently examining it in the laboratory. We may be able to present new surprises, perhaps even announce an entirely new species, but we need time to complete our research and classifications before making a statement."

"Another major find this year was the saber-toothed tiger. It was the dominant predator of the late Miocene, with canine teeth measuring 25 to 30 centimeters. A very large animal, but extinct today,” she added.