Friends Event Success!

Remnants of woolly rhinos, hyenas, bears, wolves, aurochs and other species long extinct in the UK are among the fossilised remains found in a small cave high up on Ebbor Gorge, near Wells.

Professor Danielle Schreve, a leading palaeontologist at the University of Bristol, revealed the extent of the finds at a fascinating talk for Friends ahead of October’s Festival.

The site has become one of the most important in Western Europe since its discovery 25 years ago.

A chance sighting in 2005 of an entrance no wider than a doorway high up on the National Trust-owned gorge led to an investigation by her intrepid team. Initial findings were promising.

Excavations began in 2006, resulting in the eventual discovery of a lower cave which gave access to the brown bears whose remains were found. The caves have since revealed the bones and teeth of more than 6,000 mammals and birds.

“Gully Cave is an exceptional site,” she said. “It provides a rich record of environmental change, and holds the key to understanding how animals coped with climate variations over at least 70,000 years. The past tells us how communities are constantly in flux as ice ages give way to warmer periods.”

Every new layer of Mendip limestone brings fresh surprises – and the dig is still ongoing.

She explained: “Palaeontology gives a good insight into evolution as it goes back thousands of years, and fossil evidence is now helping inform real-world conservation work, from restoring habitats to reintroducing lost species.”

The Gully Cave exploration is supported by small charities and donations from the public. Anyone interested in helping can donate via: www.justgiving.com/page/gullycave