8.5-Million-Year-Old Rhino Skull Found on Crete

A rhinoceros skull estimated to be around 8.5 million years old has been discovered in a UNESCO geological park on the island of Crete, according to Neakriti.

Scientists led by Georgios Iliopoulos, professor of paleontology and stratigraphy at the University of Patras, found remains belonging to the species Dihoplus pikermiensis. It was a two-horned rhinoceros that lived in the western part of Eurasia during the Late Miocene.

The discovery was made during excavations launched in March 2025 to study and promote the paleontological richness of the Sitia region.

The remains were sent to a laboratory for cleaning and conservation.