MDukesPhoto.com

Mammoth Site
South Dakota

2007

Photographed June 2007

With thousands of fossils from over 56 mammoths found so far, South Dakota's Mammoth Site is an experience in paleontology as it is happening.
Volunteers and research paleontologists continue to dig at the site and millimeter by millimeter, they continue to uncover more fossils and clues from the past.
"The majority of fossils found at the Mammoth Site are from the North American Columbian mammoth. Evidence of three woolly mammoths have also been discovered here, making this "east meets west mammoth gathering" the first time both species have been found together. Fossils of other Ice Age animals have also been discovered: camel, llama, giant short-faced bear, wolf, coyote and prairie dog to name a few. Imprint fossils of bird feathers, complete fish skeletons, and thousands of mollusk shells have also been recovered from this now-dry 26,000 year old sinkhole.Not petrified, these fossils are dry and fragile. The bones, scat and shells are identified, numbered cataloged and preserved, with almost all the mammoth remains displayed in-situ (as they were found in the sinkhole)." (www.mammothsite.com)