...Ecstatic at our luck...!

Updated: July 25, 2000

Hi All -

It's been awhile since the vertebrate paleontology contingent has reported in. This has mostly been the result of a lack of success to date. However, our luck changed today with the discovery of two fossil vertebrates from our Mahenge quarry.

Above: A portion of the bat skeleton found by the team in Tanzania

The first specimen, found by Charles Msuya, is the anterior half of a skeleton that we believe represents a bat. It is a bit difficult to tell for sure what it is as some of the skeleton is still buried in matrix but it represents the first Paleogene mammal ever found from sub-Saharan Africa and one of a very few Eocene mammals known from all of Africa.

The second specimen is a possible bird digit represented by a claw and most of a phalanx (toe bone).

We are ecstatic at our luck and are just now beginning to realize the implications of our discoveries.

Above: About 70 school children from Mwaru visit
the dig site and speak with Bonnie Jacobs.

In other news, we were visited today by a group of 70 school children from the local village of Mwaru. Bonnie explained the goals and progress of our project and fielded many questions from the students.

We are expecting further visits from other classes in the near future.

Cheers to All!
Gregg