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

Last fall, what began as a typical day of rockhounding for 11-year-old Touren Pope turned into an extraordinary journey through time. While exploring public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Rock Springs Field Office in southwest Wyoming, Touren spotted something unusual partially buried in the dirt: a fossilized turtle shell dating back nearly 48 million years.

The Greater Green River Basin, where Touren made his discovery, looked vastly different in that ancient era. The region was once a lush, almost tropical floodplain fed by rivers and streams surrounding the remnants of Lake Gosiute. It teemed with life—mammals, fish, crocodiles, and turtles all thrived in this prehistoric landscape. The turtle that Touren uncovered belonged to the soft-shelled trionychid family, a species that once paddled through the warm waters of the basin. Over millions of years, the turtle’s remains were buried and fossilized, hidden from view until natural erosion brought them back to the surface.

Touren’s keen eye made all the difference. Rockhounding alongside his grandparents, Patti and Tom Patterson, he noticed the fossil and immediately reported it to the BLM. Paleontology staff at the Rock Springs Field Office soon confirmed the find, and Touren’s grandparents escorted the experts to the site so the fossil could be documented and stabilized before it succumbed to further erosion.

To excavate the specimen, JP Cavigelli, museum collections specialist at the Tate Geological Museum in Casper, Wyoming, joined Touren and his grandparents in September 2025. The team carefully unearthed the fossil, revealing that while only the turtle’s shell—or carapace—remained, it was nearly complete and remarkably well preserved. Touren even got hands-on, assisting with the excavation alongside professionals and volunteers.

Once freed from the soil, the fossil was transported to the Tate Geological Museum, where it will be cleaned, studied, and potentially displayed for the public. Touren, who was given the honor of naming the fossil, chose to call it “Little Timmy.”

For an 11-year-old, the experience was unforgettable—not just because he discovered a piece of ancient history, but because he saw firsthand the importance of protecting and reporting finds on public lands. Touren’s discovery preserves a small but significant part of Wyoming’s prehistoric past, while also reminding the public that adventure—and scientific discovery—can be found in the most unexpected places.

As Touren reflects on his discovery, he remains humble and excited. “I just thought it looked cool,” he says. Now, “Little Timmy” has a story that spans millions of years—and a young explorer who helped bring it back to life.