Record-low Danube water level exposes woolly mammoth bones in Bulgaria

Discovery in the riverbed

On 29 July 2026, Petar Nikolov, a resident of Ryahovo in northern Bulgaria, noticed unusual bones protruding from the exposed bed of the Danube. He first called emergency services, but when they doubted his report of mammoth remains, he contacted the mayor. Border police arrived, followed by a specialist from the Regional History Museum in Ruse. "Mein Herz raste," Nikolov told Bulgarian media, describing his excitement. Mayor Hristina Ivanova said the news spread rapidly once experts confirmed the find.

Initially we didn't want to raise unnecessary expectations before we knew exactly what had been found. But after the specialists completed their first examination, the news spread quickly. The whole village knows, and now all of Bulgaria knows.

What the experts found

Museum specialists identified a lower jaw with two large teeth, fragments of tusks, a shoulder blade, a rib, and a femur with its articular head. The bones were concentrated in one spot, suggesting they belong to a single individual, and are described as well preserved. Their dark coloration points to a long stay in a swampy environment. Professor Nikolay Nenov, the museum director, told AFP that the remains are "100% a mammoth" and "most likely a woolly mammoth from the Ice Age." He added that they probably come from a young specimen.

It is 100% a mammoth, and most likely a woolly mammoth that lived during the Ice Age.

A window into the Ice Age

The woolly mammoth, a close relative of modern elephants, went extinct around 4,000 years ago. Museum curator Krasimir Kirov noted that the species appeared between 500,000 and 800,000 years ago and persisted until 7,000 to 10,000 years ago. The Ruse museum already holds remains of three mammoth species from the Pleistocene, dating back 14,000 to 80,000 years. Nenov explained that the area was likely a swamp where the animal died, and the low water level may expose more fossils; further prospection is planned.

I wouldn't call it a sensation, but every discovery of such old remains is of great scientific importance.

Drought grips the Danube

The discovery was made possible by a prolonged drought and extreme heat affecting Europe since spring. The Danube's water level has dropped to an average of 130 cm below normal, causing navigation problems. A cruise ship with nearly 240 people ran aground near the Romanian port of Cetate this week; all passengers were safely evacuated. Hydropower output has declined, and some nuclear plants along the river struggle with cooling water, forcing production cuts in Austria, Romania, and Hungary.

What happens next

Museum experts recovered the bones on 30 July and transported them to Ruse for conservation and study. The team will determine the exact age and species. With no significant rain in the forecast and heat persisting, the low water is expected to continue, potentially bringing more prehistoric remains to the surface.