Wight Coast Fossils was established in 2019 by island fossil collectors and university graduates Jack Wonfor, Megan Jacobs, and Theo Vickers,
Our aim is to establish professional and bespoke guided fossil tours and educational experiences, that allow people of all ages, interests, and abilities to enjoy and explore the amazing ancient story preserved in our island’s internationally unique geological heritage.
Jack Wonfor
Jack is a palaeontology student at the University of Portsmouth and a highly experienced collector, specializing in Cretaceous ammonites.
Born on the island, Jack is a lifelong fossil collector with a keen interest in our abundant Cretaceous ammonites and other marine molluscs. Over the years, Jack has accumulated a vast collection of museum-quality specimens. In 2020, Jack discovered a titanic Tropaeum bowerbanki ammonite from Whale Chine, possibly one of the largest specimens ever found.
Megan Jacobs
BSc. (Hons), MRes.
Megan is a visiting researcher at the University of Portsmouth, and is now working towards her Ph.D. on the preservation of the Isle of Wight dinosaurs.
A true islander through and through, Megan has amassed a huge fossil collection during years of collecting and has helped with excavating dinosaurs on the island’s south coast.
In recent years, Megan has undertaken fieldwork and research in Morocco, Texas, Germany, Wales, and Dorset, and has published scientific papers, including several new genera and species. Most recently the new Isle of Wight raptor, Vectiraptor greeni, which was found at Compton bay! She is an experienced fossil guide on the island’s beaches, providing guided walks for over 8 years.
Theo Vickers
(BSc. Hons)
Theo is a marine biology graduate at the University of Portsmouth and a keen fossil collector specializing in Eocene mammals and flint tools.
Theo has made several scientifically important and rare finds, including a rare hornless rhinoceros on the island’s northwest coast, one of only a handful of specimens to ever be found in the UK. Theo’s main interests are the island’s fossil mammals and ancient humans.
When not searching the island’s beaches for the remains of prehistoric life, Theo is a marine biologist and underwater photographer. His underwater wildlife films and photography have been featured widely, including as part of the Secrets Of The Solent Project by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.
