A remarkable paleontological discovery has been made in Orange County, New York: a complete mastodon jawbone, CNN reports.
The find, announced by the New York State Museum, represents the first such discovery in the state in over a decade.
The jawbone, along with a toe bone and rib fragment, were unearthed after a homeowner noticed unusual teeth while gardening in their backyard, approximately 60 miles north of New York City. Teams from the New York State Museum and the State University of New York at Orange collaborated on the excavation.
Orange County has proven a rich site for mastodon fossils, with approximately one-third of the state’s 150-plus discovered mastodon remains found in the area. The museum describes the county as a “hotspot” for such discoveries.
Mastodons, ancient relatives of modern elephants, roamed North America between 3.75 million and 11,000 years ago. Adults reached heights of 8 to 10 feet and weighed up to six tons. Their extinction is believed to have resulted from a combination of factors including climate change, competition for resources, and hunting by early humans.
The newly discovered jawbone and accompanying fragments will undergo thorough scientific analysis, including carbon dating and dietary reconstruction. The New York State Museum plans to publicly exhibit the significant find in 2025.
