New Mastodon Remains Unearthed in New York's Orange County
CBS New YorkJuly 16, 20252 min11,981 views
12 connectionsΒ·13 entities in this videoβOngoing Mastodon Discoveries in Orange County
- π‘ Orange County continues to be a rich area for finding mastodon remains, with recent excavations yielding more fossils.
- π― These Ice Age mammals, which went extinct 11,000 years ago, are frequently discovered in this region.
Recent Excavation and Findings
- βοΈ Dr. Cory Harris led students from Sunni Orange in a week-long dig in a Walkill backyard after the homeowner found mastodon teeth.
- 𦴠The excavation recovered numerous vertebrae, ribs, and atlas bones, potentially dating back 13,000 years.
- ποΈ The location of the find suggests the remains were in a former lake formed by a retreating glacier.
Historical Context and Scientific Significance
- π Orange County has a long history of mastodon discoveries, with George Washington himself visiting a found tooth in Middletown in 1780.
- π The nearly complete mastodon skeleton, Sugar, found in 1972, dates back to 8,000 BC.
- π Continued exploration of these ice age mammal remains helps answer questions about natural history and environmental changes.
- π These discoveries provide valuable opportunities for students and contribute important natural history material for the New York State Museum.
- π To date, mastodon remains have been found at 150 sites in New York, with a third located in Orange County.
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Whatβs Discussed
MastodonIce Age MammalsOrange CountyNew YorkPaleontologyFossil DiscoveryArchaeologyNatural HistoryGlacial LakeGeorge WashingtonNew York State Museum
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