A New York homeowner recently made an unexpected discovery in their backyard. Paleontologists announced on Tuesday, Dec. 17, that they unearthed a complete mastodon jaw in Orange County.
The adult mastodon jaw was found sticking out of the soil of the resident’s backyard. Sparked by curiosity, the homeowner reportedly found two teeth hidden by the leaves of a plant and dug more to find two additional teeth just inches below the surface.
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The homeowner alerted officials and staff from the New York State Museum, and SUNY Orange Community College visited the home to excavate the rest. More digging efforts also uncovered a piece of toe bone and part of a rib.
Researchers say that the fossils will help them gain more insight into the habitat, diet and animal’s life during prehistoric times.
The jaw and bone fragments will be featured in public programming in 2025 after preservation and scientific studies. This is the first fossil discovery of its kind in New York in more than a decade.
Orange County is reportedly a hotbed of fossil finds with one-third of the more than 150 mastodon fossils statewide found in the area.
Researchers encourage residents to report similar discoveries to local authorities as every find helps scientists gain more knowledge about the woolly mammoth’s predecessor.
