By Tim Binnall
Researchers in New York State are celebrating the "remarkable discovery" of a complete mastodon jaw that was recently unearthed from a homeowner's lawn. The tremendous find reportedly came about when the individual noticed a pair of puzzling protrusions that had previously been obscured by some plants on their property near the community of Scotchtown. Curious as to what the weird rock formations might have been, the homeowner dug around the oddities and quickly realized that they were more than mere rubble.
Upon being informed of the interesting discovery, experts from the New York State Museum and SUNY Orange arrived on the scene to excavate the area. To their profound surprise, they ultimately removed a complete mastodon jaw from the homeowner's lawn. While the region has yielded dozens of fossils from the prehistoric pachyderm through the years, this particular discovery was the first of its kind in over a decade.
Reflecting on the discovery, the unnamed homeowner mused that "when I found the teeth and examined them in my hands, I knew they were something special." Echoing that sentiment was Dr. Robert Feranec of the New York State Museum, who marveled that "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."