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The kangaroo skull buried in the dirt in the cave.
Photograph: Parks Victoria

A 50,000-year-old skeleton of an extinct kangaroo species has been unearthed in regional Victoria

The extremely rare fossil was found deep in a cave in East Gippsland

Liv Condous
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Liv Condous
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There's been some real-life Indiana Jones action happening deep underground in Victoria's far east, with rare findings unveiled this week. Researchers have just released the jaw-dropping details and images of an incredible bounty: an ancient kangaroo's entire skeleton. Whether you're an archaeology fanatic or not, it's pretty fascinating. 

The discovery was made on Gunaikurnai Country in East GippslandThe fossil was initially found in 2011 by a Parks Victoria ranger, but the project to remove it from the cave didn't begin until ten years later, when a Museums Victoria Research Institute palaeontologist went to visit it and noticed its condition was beginning to degrade. So, the two-year mission to preserve the rare find began. 

It took researchers years to retrieve the skeleton of the extinct short-faced kangaroo, known as Simosthenurus occidentalis, from deep inside Nightshade Cave near the Buchan Caves (the exact location of the secret cave where the bones were found is confidential). According to the experts at Museums Victoria, the skeleton is one of the most complete ever found in Australia. 

Palaeontologist Tim Ziegler with the fossil skeleton at Museums Victoria Research Institute.
Photograph: Museums Victoria/Tim Carrafa

The skeleton was located 20 metres underground, with the fossil excavation team abseiling down and then squeezing through tight crevices filled with sharp stalactites to reach it. But after substantial efforts, the entire skeleton was removed from the cave. The fossil has 71 per cent of the kangaroo's skeleton, including a completely intact skull, having laid undisturbed underground for thousands of years. 

Fossils of the long-extinct short-faced kangaroo have been found around Australia previously, but not to this extent. Unlike the kangaroos we know and love, it was a stocky animal that was slow to move and didn't hop but walked instead. 

“This fossil skeleton was first seen and reported by members of local caving clubs,” says Parks Victoria ranger Phil McGuinn. “They’ve made an invaluable contribution to the natural heritage of the Buchan Caves, to the local area and to scientific knowledge worldwide.”

“Fossils of this quality and completeness are extremely rare in Australia, says Museums Victoria Research Institute palaeontologist Tim Ziegler. The skeleton has lain in a pitch-black cave for 50,000 years, and it’s been a privilege to bring it back to the light. 

The specimen is now in the care of the Museums Victoria Research Institute and has been made available for research projects of significant global interest.

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