New York homeowner's yardwork reveals mastodon jaw

A complete mastodon jaw was unearthed in the backyard of a house in New York, according to the New York State Museum.

The jaw, along with a piece of toe bone and a rib fragment, was excavated by teams from the New York State Museum and State University of New York Orange after a homeowner in Orange County, about 60 miles (96 kilometres) north of New York City, noticed “two unusual teeth concealed by plant fronds” while tending to his property.

“When I found the teeth and examined them in my hands, I knew they were something special and decided to call in the experts,” the homeowner, who was not identified by name, said in a news release from the museum.

“I’m thrilled that our property has yielded such an important find for the scientific community,” the resident added.

This was the first time in 11 years that such a find has been recorded in New York state, according to the museum. More than 150 mastodon fossils have been found statewide, about a third of those in Orange County, which the museum calls a “hotspot” for the finds.

A complete mastodon jaw was unearthed in the backyard of a residential home near Scotchtown, New York, according to the New York State Museum. (New York State Museum via CNN Newsource)

 

“This mastodon jaw provides a unique opportunity to study the ecology of this magnificent species, which will enhance our understanding of the Ice Age ecosystems from this region,” said Robert Feranec, the museum’s director of research and collections and curator of ice age animals.

Mastodons, distant relatives of modern elephants, lived in North America from about 3.75 million to 11,000 years ago, according to the Illinois State Museum. An adult mastodon stood between 8 and 10 feet (2.5 to 3 metres) tall and weighed as much as six tons (5,400 kilograms).

Scientists believe a combination of competition for food, climate change and overhunting by early humans led to their extinction.

The jaw and accompanying fragments found in New York will now undergo “rigorous scientific analysis, including carbon dating and dietary reconstruction,” the museum release said, adding that the historical find will be showcased to the public in 2025.