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AFGHAN ARABIA WILD

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FOSSIL FROM AFGHANISTAN!

BY JOHN M. REGAN

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        I was out wandering one day someplace in Helmand province when a very unusual rock caught my attention. In color and texture it did not match any of the surrounding jagged, granite like rocks. It was a light brownish color with rounded contours. Most unusual of all was the fact that it looked very much like a dinosaur skull! Of course, I knew this was not the case but I picked up the five pound rock and hauled it back to the FOB. From there it made it back to my home in Washington State where it sat on my shelf for several years keeping its mysterious origin to itself. Until today, 5 Dec 2016, when I received a mesage from Dr. Siebert, Research Director, of the Research Institute of Bioinformatics and Nanotechnology in Germany. I had sent Dr. Siebert several photos of the specimen and he has tentatively identified it as a fossil of driftwood from the Tertiary period riddled with scars from shipworm borings. If it is indeed driftwood than it must be extremely old. The Helmand desert has not seen substantial water for many years. If anyone out there has any information on fossils from Afghanistan please let me know. I can be reached at reganjm@northwestwildlifeonline.com

Afghan Driftwood Fossil by John M. Regan  Afghan Driftwood Fossil by John M. Regan Afghan Driftwood Fossil by John M. Regan

From left to right: side view, front view, and top view. The skull like appearance is very apparent from the top.

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AFGHAN ARABIA WILD

ARTICLES AND POSTS

 

WILDLIFE OF AFGHANISTAN   WILDLIFE OF SAUDI ARABIA  NORTHWEST WILDLIFE ONLINE

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