Record-low Danube water levels in northern Bulgaria have revealed bones thought to be from an ancient mammoth, discovered by a resident of Ryahovo and reported by BTA. Experts from the Regional History Museum in Ruse identified a lower jaw, two tusks and possibly a rib; the remains were due to be removed for detailed analysis. Museum Director Nikolay Nenov said the site may have been a prehistoric swamp where the animal died thousands of years ago. The find coincides with broader drought-driven lows on European rivers.
Ancient Mammoth Bones Emerge from Danube Riverbed in Bulgaria Amid Record-Low Water Levels
The remains of what historians believe is an ancient mammoth, which emerged after the Danube River's water level receded to a record low, lie on the riverbed near the village of Ryahovo, Slivo pole municipality, Bulgaria, in this handout image released on July 29, 2026. Lyuboslav Yordanov/Slivo pole municipality/Handout via REUTERS
SOFIA, July 29 — Remains believed to belong to an ancient mammoth have surfaced on the exposed Danube riverbed in northern Bulgaria after water levels dropped to record lows, the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA) reported on Wednesday, citing historians and museum specialists.
The remains of what historians believe is an ancient mammoth, which emerged after the Danube River's water level receded to a record low, lie on the riverbed near the village of Ryahovo, Slivo pole municipality, Bulgaria, in this handout image released on July 29, 2026. Lyuboslav Yordanov/Slivo pole municipality/Handout via REUTERS
A local resident of the village of Ryahovo discovered the unusual bones on the exposed riverbed and alerted neighbours. Villagers then contacted specialists from the Regional History Museum in the nearby town of Ruse, who were called to inspect the find.
The remains of what historians believe is an ancient mammoth, which emerged after the Danube River's water level receded to a record low, lie on the riverbed near the village of Ryahovo, Slivo pole municipality, Bulgaria, in this handout image released on July 29, 2026. Lyuboslav Yordanov/Slivo pole municipality/Handout via REUTERS
What Was Found
Museum Director Nikolay Nenov told BTA that experts at the site identified a lower jaw, two tusks and what may be a mammoth rib. The museum said the remains were scheduled to be removed on Thursday and taken to the museum for further study to establish their exact origin and age.
The remains of what historians believe is an ancient mammoth, which emerged after the Danube River's water level receded to a record low, lie on the riverbed near the village of Ryahovo, Slivo pole municipality, Bulgaria, in this handout image released on July 29, 2026. Lyuboslav Yordanov/Slivo pole municipality/Handout via REUTERS
'I would not call it a sensation, but any discovery of such ancient remains is very important for science,' Nenov said, adding that the area has long been thought to have been a swamp where the animal likely died thousands of years ago.
The bones will undergo established scientific analyses to determine their age and origin. If confirmed, the find would add to the region's palaeontological record and help researchers better understand the environment of the Danube plain in prehistoric times.
The remains of what historians believe is an ancient mammoth, which emerged after the Danube River's water level receded to a record low, lie on the riverbed near the village of Ryahovo, Slivo pole municipality, Bulgaria, in this handout image released on July 29, 2026. Lyuboslav Yordanov/Slivo pole municipality/Handout via REUTERS
The unusual exposure of the riverbed follows weeks of record-low Danube levels driven by prolonged summer heat waves and drought across Europe, which have also affected other major waterways such as the Rhine.
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