Paleontologists find rhinoceros fossils in South Carolina

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — A company that runs amateur fossil digging experiences in South Carolina made a historic find earlier this month.

Skye Basak and her husband Joshua, founders of Palmetto Fossil Excursions, found a set of rhinoceros teeth while digging through what they call the "100 Acre Pit" in Dorchester County.

This is the first rhinoceros to have ever been discovered in the southeastern United States," Basak said.

The rhinoceros teeth found were anywhere from 22 to 28 million-years-old.

It was so far out of the realm of possibility that when I found that, I thought I was looking at the bottom of a double rooted molar of a very large whale," Basak said.

The find proves rhinos used to graze in the Lowcountry. This may just the beginning, and they don't know the gems, bones, and teeth they're going to find next.

“We've only dug maybe 2% of the pit at this point," Basak said. "We love this place, we explore it every single day looking to see what new treasures await to be discovered."