Badger discovers 4,500-year-old burial in Ireland

An Irish badger has discovered 4,500-year-old human remains, including 14 pieces of cremated bone and charcoal flecks, The Irish Times reports. The badger was assisted in the excavation at Cavan Burren Park by historian Séamus Ó hUltacháin, who stumbled upon the remains after the unsuspecting Mustelidae unearthed them.

"Our badger just threw out the bones," Ó hUltacháin said. "They were no bigger than my nail, just scraps of bone. It is the oldest discovery in this region, a wonderful discovery." Carbon dating by the Queen's University in Belfast estimated the remains are from between 2438 and 2200 BC.

The existence of the ancient tomb was known to archaeologists, but removing material like bone in the park is illegal. The badger's dig exposed the bones, though, which allowed for them to be recovered by the National Museum.

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Thank you, badger friend.