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Showing results for tags 'whale vertabrae'.
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Hello All, This is my first time posting here, so I hope I'm doing this right. I did my best to crop the pictures I have and hope I've included what's needed. During our annual Thanksgiving trip, a friend of mine found what appears to be a large whale vertebrae on 11/26/22 in the Monterey Bay Area, between Seacliff Beach and New Brighton Beach in Aptos. Based on the known sea mammals that pass through these parts and a quick Google search, it looks to be a Humpback vertebrate, but there’s also the Blue Whale, Gray Whale, Fin Whale and Killer Whale. My guess is a Humpback, but that's just a hunch. It was found about 8-10” under the sand, just after high tide. At first, he thought it might be a tree stump or part of an anchor. It was pretty far up the beach, closer to the walkway than the beach water. The surrounding sand was damp and the bone still needs to dry since it’s been under water/wet sand for who knows how long(?). There is a gift shop nearby and they have fossilized bones, including one that’s a humpback vertebrae and it’s a lot smaller than the one found. It did say in the visitors center that these fossils have been found in the area that date back 2-5 million years. It seems improbable in my mind that this found one is anywhere near that old, but I’m a complete newbie to this. Thankfully, this forum looks like the ideal place to ask these questions. Is there a way to tell either how old or large the whale was, based off this information? Also, is there a particular method used to dry these out and get it back to its natural ivory color? I read that leaving it in the sun will bleach it, but I’m assuming that takes a while to do. Here are the measurements and pictures. If more specific pictures need to be added, let me know and I'll have them snap what's needed. Widest point: ~21” (side to side) Diameter of center: ~13.5-14” (one side is a little wider than the other) Depth: ~9.5-10” Thank you all in advance, Jason
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Pictured here a what I discovered several years ago while collecting and removing trash from my favorite barrier beach after a huge nor-Easter walloped New England's East coast. It was located well above the wrack line in what appeared to be a wash over point, where the storm surge or excessive rainfall had followed the manmade path. Our goal was to remove trash, and anything that could disrupt barefooted beach traffic and/or official, authorized vehicles. Once back inland, I showed it to our local Wharfing, who simply stated it looked unusual. He agreed it should not have been left where I found. Another person, who overheard our conversation looked at it and suggested it could be a bone or a fossil. When I got home that day, I did some research, made some phone calls, sent some photos to various local and federal organizations, but nothing was really learned and no one got back to me. My son (now a teenager) noticed it the other day on the mantel where it has been since discovered. His inquiry inspired me to try to learn more about it again. A few hours google(ing) today makes me think it is whale vertebrae. I do not know the difference between bone and fossil which is how I ended up finding this forum. I am concerned about some of what I have read regarding finding fossils and the law, but not even knowing what it is, how would anyone know any better? Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.
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Hi guys I'm a first time poster I recently bought these two whale fossils from a dealer and with no information attached to them so I can't say a find location or an age or whether or not they're from the same whale or not. I would like to know whether or not they are whale vertabrae and hopefully the age and type of whale they are from? Thanks guys!