New England fishermen were left stunned when they reeled in a 12,000-year-old mammoth tooth instead of their usual catch of clams and molluscs – and the charitable bunch has decided to auction it off to help Ukrainians in need.
Tim Rider, co-owner of the New England Fishmongers, told Newsflash that his crew was dredging for scallops and other seafood goodies when they netted a molar tooth belonging to a woolly mammoth from around 12,000 years ago.
(New England Fishmongers/Newsflash)
The crew, identified as the ‘New England Fishmongers’ from the city of Portsmouth in the US state of New Hampshire, found the tooth off the coastal city of Newburyport in Massachusetts.
The 11-inch molar tooth, believed to be around 12,000 years old, weighed 7 lbs.
Rider told Newsflash that he took the tooth to the University of New Hampshire, where experts confirmed it was a molar from a woolly mammoth and estimated its age based on the geological history of the area of Newburyport.
Geology Professor Will Clyde said: “I always love thinking about the landscape in New England, with mammoths and mastodons walking around, and in terms of geological times, that wasn’t that long ago.”
(New England Fishmongers/Newsflash)
Rider said that he will auction the mammoth tooth on eBay, with the proceeds going to the NGO World Central Kitchen to help provide meals for Ukrainian refugees during the Russian invasion.
He told Newsflash: “I’m a fisherman, but anytime you see families and children struggling in that type of situation, you really try to be thankful for what you have and do what you can to help.
“Obviously, I can’t solve the world’s problems as a fisherman, but I can contribute to help the people that are suffering.”
At the time of writing, the eBay item has reached a bid of USD 9,600 and the auction will conclude at 12.09pm on Sunday.
(ebay.com/Newsflash)
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Story By: Lee Bullen, Sub-Editor: William McGee,  Agency: Newsflash
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