New York homeowner makes jaw-dropping mastodon discovery in backyard

A New York resident has uncovered a mastodon jaw protruding from the soil in their backyard, the first find in more than 11 years.

Alerted to the jaw-dropping scientific discovery in Orange County, researchers spent about two and a half days excavating the home and unearthed several mastodon bone fragments and a complete adult jaw.

Mastodons are related to the modern elephant and now extinct mammoths. Historians say the ancient beasts lived across the Earth, but only fossils found in North America have been rigorously identified.

“I am thrilled that our property has yielded such an important discovery for the scientific community,” the homeowner said in a statement.

“When I found the teeth and examined them in my hands, I knew they were something special and decided to call in the experts,” he said.

The mastodon jaw, found by staff from the New York State Museum and the State University of New York, is well-preserved and may help provide insight into what creatures inhabited the area during the Ice Age.

“This mastodon jaw provides a unique opportunity to study the ecology of this magnificent species, which will improve our understanding of Ice Age ecosystems from this region,” Dr Robert Feranec, Director of Research and Collections and Curator of Ice Age Animals at New York State Museum, said in a statement.

Over 150 mastodon fossils have been found in New York with a third of them specifically from Orange County, according to the New York State Museum.

“While the jaw is the star of the show, the additional toe and rib fragments offer valuable context and potential for further research,” said Dr. Cory Harris, chair of SUNY Orange’s Behavioral Sciences Department. “We also hope to explore the immediate area further to see if there are any additional bones that have been preserved.”

Mastodons became extinct around 13,000 years ago.

The creatures are related to the modern elephant, but had flatter skulls and smaller ears.

Mastodons also resembled now-extinct mammoths with their long upper tusks, but were shorter and denser.