Researchers from Punjab University’s Zoology Department have discovered the skull of a stegodon female elephant and they claimed that the female elephant lived around 11 lac years ago.
The skull weighing 120 kg was found near Panjan Sher Shahana in Gujrat and the site from where skull have been discovered is called ‘sawalik’, an internationally used term for the site where pre-historic fossils are often found.
As the research was been carried out by Syed Ghayoor Abbas, who is recently working on his PhD thesis told the media: “The discovery will help scientists understand the genetic, hereditary and evolutionary features of the species.”
Abbas also told about his past research experience on the site, he told he have been carrying out excavations over here for more then a year and has found fossils of deer, rhinos and pigs. Although, this is the very first time that a pre-historic elephant skull is found in the area.
It took around two days to dig out the fossil without damaging its originality. And according to the sources, the ancient fossil will be displayed at Jehlum campus of the university that will also allow people to study it.
Prof Dr Muhmmad Akhtar, who works as professor at University’s Zoology Department,was supervising the research team claimed that by the remains we have found that the elephant was twice bigger than the usual elephants today. The skull found measures 38 centimeters length and 28 centimeter width. He also told that discovery will help the scientists to get to know about the evolution of Asian elephant.
The fossil is now sent to the hydrocarbon laboratory to examine actual age and family of the mammal.
