The complete jaw of a mastodon, a distant relative of modern elephants, has been discovered in the garden of a New York home. The discovery was made when the property owner noticed “two unusual teeth hidden under the leaves of a plant” while cleaning.
The mastodon jaw, along with part of a toe bone and rib fragments, was discovered by a homeowner in Orange County, about 90 miles north of New York. While cleaning his home, the man noticed “two abnormal teeth hidden under the leaves of a plant.''
USA: Mastodon jaw discovered in New York state
“When I found the tooth and picked it up and looked at it, I knew it was something special and decided to call a professional,” the property owner said. “We are pleased that our property has produced such an important discovery for the scientific community,” the man added.
See also: He fell out of a tree and killed a hunter. the tragedy of hunting
According to the New York State Museum, this is the first such discovery in the area in 11 years. More than 150 mastodon fossils have been discovered throughout the state, with about one-third of them in Orange County.
“This mastodon jaw provides a unique opportunity to study this remarkable species and will deepen our understanding of the region's Ice Age ecosystem,” said Dr. Robert Feranek said.
Mastodon jaw in the garden. animals became extinct thousands of years ago
Mastodons, distant relatives of modern elephants, have lived in North America for about 4 million years. This species became extinct only about 10,000 to 9,000 years ago.
An adult mastodon was 2.5-3 meters tall and weighed up to 6 tons. These animals were related to mammoths, but more similar to modern Indian elephants. Mastodon's body was much thinner than that of mammoth.
Scientists believe that mastodon extinction was caused by a combination of competition for food, climate change, and excessive hunting by early humans.
The jaw and other bone fragments will now undergo “rigorous scientific analysis, including radiocarbon dating and dietary reconstruction,” the museum said in a statement. The discovery is expected to be announced in 2025.
Your browser does not support video players… Read more
Want to get the latest news?
We are preparing an application for your phone. Please check it out!
