Family Fossil Hunting Adventure in Wyoming

Luke Tipple and his family meet up with their friend Moondog near Fossil Butte National Monument in Wyoming for a day of digging. Fossil Safari is a tiny speck in a vast, fossil-rich area that was once covered by water 40–60 million years ago.

Follow the Tipple family's journey in an all-new episode of NATURE IS FLY.

August 26, 2021

By: Discovery

Show: Nature is Fly

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Paleontologist in Training

Kailiana is outfitted and ready to dig!

52 million year old fossils

Kailiana looks at 52 million year old fossils at the Fossil Butte National Monument.

Groundbreaking

Fossil safari is the only place where paleontologists, commercial diggers, and the general public can dig up the same rock and find the same fossils.

Moondog

After finding a fish fossil, Moondog puts polyurethane on it to keep the gill plates in place.

No two fossils are alike

After a lesson from Moondog, the family is ready to excavate.

This all used to be underwater

Luke points at fossilized fish between the layers of sediment.

Archeologists like it dirty

A digger at the site excavates fossils from a large piece of sediment.

"I got this mom"

Kailiana is ready to find a fossil of her own.

Where to next?

After a successful day with Moondog, the Tipple family is ready for their next adventure.