36-million-year-old whale fossil found in Peru

STORY: LOCATOR: Lima, Peru

This is the skull of 'marine monster'

A 36-million-year-old Basilosaurus, to be precise

It belonged to a primitive whale who lived in prehistoric seas

that covered part of what’s now Peru

[Rodolfo Salas, Head of Paleontology Department, National University of San Marcos]

“It was a large marine predator, estimated to have been almost 40 feet long. It was discovered by the Natural History Museum's field paleontologist, Mario Urbina, in the Ocucaje area of Ica. This place used to be covered by the sea, millions of years ago, and these animals were the largest predators at the time.”

Salas says the fossil’s discovery is very important

because it’s been perfectly preserved

[Rodolfo Salas, Head of Paleontology Department, National University of San Marcos]

“The skull and the jaw are in a right anatomical position. The teeth are complete. It’s very possible this might be a new Basilosaurus species. If this is so, there is not another fossil like this one anywhere else in the world.”