Ancient Panda-Sized Sea Cow Fossil Found in Qatar

7 hours ago 6

February 17, 2026 | 10:06 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Recently, researchers have discovered a dwarf ancient sea cow fossil believed to have lived in shallow waters about 21 million years ago. This discovery was made at the Al Maszhabiya fossil site in southwest Qatar.

Quoting Earth on February 15, 2026, researchers estimate that this sea cow weighed 250 pounds while it was alive. If this is true, its size is very small compared to most sea cows, which typically weigh between 800 and 1,200 pounds, equivalent to 360-540 kilograms. Instead of being compared to sea cows, researchers liken this fossil to the size of a panda.

A recent study revealed that the skull and snout structure of the fossil shows significant anatomical differences. The researchers named this fossil Salwasiren qatarensis, in accordance with the name of its discovery location.

The Head of Excavation and Site Management at Qatar Museums, Ferhan Sakal, briefly explained the presence of other bone layers at the fossil site, believed to be from different marine species. Waves and scavenging animals likely carried these bones in the past, depositing them in shallow waters.

"But at the time, we had no idea just how rich and vast the bonebed actually was," said Ferhan. He added that the fossils near the ancient dwarf sea cow bone are in proximity to shark, fish, turtle, and dolphin fossils.

The research team utilized modern technology to create a 3D digital model of these bones. This step enabled researchers from the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) to re-measure and conduct further studies without having to remove these valuable fossils from Qatar.

This discovery not only adds a new entry to the past biodiversity list but also provides a new perspective for current conservation efforts. Conservation experts will now have a stronger historical database, although the challenges of the present differ from those of the past.

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