Ammonite fossil discovered in boulder on Isle of Wight beach
It weighed in at over 150kg (24 stone)
A colossal, fossilised ammonite has been unearthed from a fallen boulder on the Isle of Wight
Fossil collector Jack Wonfor initially spotted the creature's shell edge within the rock, prompting a collaborative effort among fossil enthusiasts from across the Island to meticulously extract it. I came in weighing at over 150kg (24 stone).
The extraction process involved a makeshift sled and rope system to transport the ammonite from a remote beach, on the Island’s southwest Coast, to higher ground.
The 23-year-old palaeontology student at the University of Portsmouth and a fossil guide at Wight Coast Fossils, led the endeavour of getting the weighty fossil off the beach, up the cliff and into a vehicle.
It took over a week from the initial discovery to get it safely off the beach.
Wight Coast Fossils described the find as a "near on perfect example," believed to be a "huge and rare Epicheloniceras ammonite." Once fully cleaned it will be donated to the Dinosaur Isle Museum in Sandown.
Ammonites, close relatives of contemporary squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses, thrived during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
Their extinction coincided with the disappearance of dinosaurs. The significance of this discovery extends beyond its size, shedding light on the ancient marine life that once inhabited the region.