11-year-old Touren Pope discovers ancient turtle fossil on BLM land in Wyoming

Touren Pope poses for a photo with the fossilized turtle he discovered on BLM with a blue sky
11-year-old Touren Pope poses for a photo with the fossilized turtle shell he discovered while rockhounding on BLM-managed land in the Rock Springs Field Office area. (Photo by Craig Thomas, BLM Rock Springs Field Office)

 

Last fall, a routine day of rockhounding on Bureau of Land Management–managed public land in southwest Wyoming turned into an extraordinary discovery. While exploring public lands overseen by the BLM Wyoming Rock Springs Field Office, 11-year-old Touren Pope spotted what would later be identified as a fossilized turtle dating back nearly 48 million years.

Around that time, the Greater Green River Basin in southwest Wyoming looked very different than it does today. The basin had a much warmer, almost tropical climate which was dominated by a large floodplain filled with rivers and streams surrounding the remnants of the once-mighty ancient Lake Gosiute. The area supported an abundance of plant and animal life, including various mammals, fish, crocodiles, and turtles.

This story begins with an individual turtle that lived and died during this period. The turtle was of the soft-shelled variety belonging to the trionychid family. Following the turtle’s demise, its remains were buried and eventually fossilized through various natural processes. For millions of years, the fossilized turtle remained buried underground until it was recently exposed at the surface by natural erosion and weathering.

While the fossil’s emergence could easily have gone unnoticed, it was instead discovered by 11-year-old Touren while rockhounding with his grandparents, Patti and Tom Patterson. After noticing the fossil, he reported his discovery to the Bureau of Land Management. Word of the find was soon shared with paleontology staff at the Rock Springs Field Office (RSFO).

 

Close-up of the fossilized turtle Touren found on BLM-Managed land
A close-up shows the fossilized turtle shell on BLM-managed land during excavation. (Photo by Craig Thomas, BLM Rock Springs Field Office)

 

Following this news, Touren’s grandparents escorted RSFO paleontology staff to the site so the turtle fossil could be fully documented and stabilized. Once staff confirmed the fossil was located on BLM-managed land, efforts began to identify a permitted paleontologist to collect the specimen before further erosion could occur.

 

Touren and JP excavate the turtle fossil
Eleven-year-old Touren Pope assists with the excavation alongside JP Cavigelli, museum collections specialist at the Tate Geological Museum at Casper College in Wyoming. (Photo by Craig Thomas, BLM Rock Springs Field Office)

 

JP Cavigelli, museum collections specialist at the Tate Geological Museum at Casper College in Casper, Wyoming, volunteered to help with the collection of this unique specimen. In September 2025, Cavigelli and his crew returned to the site along with Touren and his grandparents to fully excavate the fossil. The excavation revealed that only the turtle’s shell, or carapace, remained; however, it was nearly complete and remarkably well preserved.

 

Touren, JP Cavigelli, and BLM WY paleontology staff haul the turtle off BLM land in Rock Springs, Wyo, on a sunny day.
Touren Pope’s grandfather, 11-year-old Touren Pope, Tate Geological Museum volunteer Steve Felto, and museum collections specialist JP Cavigelli carry the fossilized turtle shell off BLM-managed land after excavating the specimen, as Tate Geological Museum volunteer Judith Johnston supervises. (Photo by Craig Thomas, BLM Rock Springs Field Office)

 

After excavation, the fossil was transported to the Tate Geological Museum, a BLM-approved repository, where it will be cleaned and prepared for future research and possibly for public display.

This discovery would not have been possible without Touren’s keen observation for fossils and his decision to report the fossil to the BLM. By doing the right thing, he was rewarded with a unique and memorable opportunity to take part in the excavation process.

His discovery not only helped preserve an important piece of Wyoming’s paleontological history but also highlighted the role the public plays in protecting and responsibly reporting scientific resources found on public lands. Touren was also given permission to name the fossil. Henceforth, it will forever be known as “Little Timmy,” the turtle.

For additional information on the BLM's paleontology program please visit our website at https://www.blm.gov/programs/paleontology or contact your local field office.

 

Touren and JP Cavigelli excavating the turtle overhead shot
11-year-old Touren Pope assists with the excavation of the fossil. (Photo by Craig Thomas, BLM Rock Springs Field Office)

Update

Since the excavation, the fossilized turtle shell has been transported to the Tate Geological Museum, where preparation work is underway. A museum volunteer has been carefully cleaning and stabilizing the specimen, revealing additional details not visible in the field.

The newly shared photo shows the inside of the turtle shell, while images taken during excavation captured the top surface of the fossil. A small toy is included in the image for scale, highlighting the size of the specimen as preparation continues. 

 

The inside of the shell since it has been prepared by the museum.
Inside of the shell since it has been moved to the museum and prepared. (Photo courtesy of the Tate Geological Museum, Casper, Wyoming.)
Story by:

Story by Craig Thomas, Archaeologist and Paleontology Coordinator, BLM-WY Rock Springs Field Office