An 11-year-old schoolboy has found a fragment of an ancient steppe bison skull in Warsaw’s Vistula River, the Museum of the Earth has announced.
Marcel Wroński from the town of Zambrów in northeast Poland had been on a trip to the capital with his mother when he spotted the bone in the river.
Posting on social media, the museum said: “Marcel found a fragment of a skull with a pedicle, initially believed to be the remains of an extinct aurochs (Bos primigenius).
“However, after a thorough examination, our museum staff determined that it was part of a steppe bison (Bison priscus) skull — the extinct ancestor of today’s European bison (Bison bonasus).”
The museum added: “We would like to thank and congratulate Marcel once again on this exceptional discovery. We wish him further fascinating finds and educational success.
“This is an excellent example of not being afraid to consult with experts working in museums and other research institutions — it is worth sharing your discoveries to preserve a piece of history for future generations.”
The museum noted that the find was made possible by the student’s attentiveness and by low water levels in the Vistula.
Steppe bison roamed Europe during the Pleistocene and largely went extinct at the end of that era. Small groups survived into the Holocene.
About 120,000 years ago, they interbred with aurochs, giving rise to the modern European bison.
This is not the first such find in Warsaw. A steppe bison skull was previously uncovered during construction of the second metro line at Bródno station.
The most recent discovery will now undergo conservation work before being put on public display. (PAP)
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