Fossils of Unknown Whale Species Found

Fossil remains of a previously unknown species of whale that lived 2 million to 4 million years ago have been found in the tony seaside neighborhood of La Jolla, officials said Wednesday.

The fossils were identified last week by paleontologists as the remains of an extinct type of baleen whale that swam in a huge bay covering what is now Mount Soledad.

The remains were unearthed six months ago while construction crews were replacing a drinking water reservoir. Paleontologists, who are required by San Diego County to monitor sensitive construction sites, spotted the fossils and halted construction.