Though the sheriff's department search-and-rescue unit initially declined to send a helicopter for the excavation effort with the rare whale fossil, they did offer to use the recovery mission as a training mission.
Leum said the volunteer crew generally rescues stranded hikers and motorcyclists.
He said, 'We'll always be able to say, 'it's not heavier than a fossil.'"
Rare whale fossil, once recovered, will be going on display at the Natural History Museum, according to CBS Local.
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