11-Year-Old Finds 48-Million-Year-Old Turtle in Wyoming

Eleven-year-old Touren Pope was rockhounding with his grandparents in southwest Wyoming when he spotted something unusual poking out of the ground. That quick observation turned into the discovery of a lifetime: a fossilized soft-shelled turtle that lived nearly 48 million years ago.

Touren made the find on Bureau of Land Management land near Rock Springs. Instead of keeping the fossil to himself, he did something that would make his discovery even more special: he reported it to the BLM right away.

His honesty opened the door to an adventure most kids only dream about. BLM paleontology staff verified the find and arranged for experts from the Tate Geological Museum at Casper College to excavate it properly.

In September 2025, Touren returned to the site with museum specialist J.P. Cavigelli and his crew. The young discoverer got to participate in the full excavation, carefully uncovering the turtle's shell alongside professional paleontologists.

The fossil turned out to be remarkably well preserved. The turtle's carapace was nearly complete, a rare find that will help scientists better understand what Wyoming looked like millions of years ago when the region had a tropical climate with rivers and floodplains.

Back then, the Greater Green River Basin looked nothing like today's landscape. Ancient Lake Gosiute dominated the area, surrounded by waterways teeming with crocodiles, fish, and turtles like the one Touren discovered.

Sunny's Take

Touren earned a special privilege for his responsible reporting: he got to name the fossil. He chose "Little Timmy," a name that will stay with this ancient creature forever in museum records.

The fossil now rests at the Tate Geological Museum, where it will be cleaned and prepared for research and possibly public display. Touren's find highlights how everyday citizens can contribute to science simply by staying curious and doing the right thing when they make discoveries on public lands.

One young boy's afternoon adventure became a window into Wyoming's ancient past and a reminder that the next big discovery might be waiting for anyone with keen eyes and an honest heart.