18-07-2025
More mastodon bones found in NY backyard: What to know about the rare discovery
After a complete mastodon jaw bone was unearthed from the backyard of a residence near Scotchtown last year, a handful of students and instructors from SUNY Orange felt there was more to uncover.
They were right. In only six weeks of archeological work, 12 students and two professors found multiple vertebrae, additional jaw fragments and rib bones of the same mastodon, which they're estimating to be between 10,000 and 13,000 years old.
"This is such a big deal," student Kierra Moore said. "How often can you be in the right place at the right time to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience?"
Here's what to know about the latest discovery.
What led to the initial discovery?
In 2024, a full, well-preserved mastodon jaw belonging to an adult, a piece of a toe bone and a rib fragment were recovered after the homeowner decided to take a closer look after initially finding two teeth covered by the leaves of a plant on their property, unearthing two additional teeth buried mere inches underground, before calling the discovery in.
The fossils underwent carbon dating and a comprehensive analysis to find out the age, diet and habitat of the mastodon over the course of its lifetime, according to the state Department of Education. Over 150 mastodon fossils have been found statewide to date, with about a third discovered in Orange County, the state Department of Education said at the time of the first discovery.
See the photos: Mastodon jaw unearthed in New York backyard
What's next?
The mastodon findings have been sent to the New York State Museum for examination and curation while a number of other smaller unidentified bones and skeletal fragments found during the dig are currently being stored at SUNY Orange's Middletown campus.
'When I visited the site, it filled my heart to see our students out there digging, sifting, discovering, and learning,' SUNY Orange President Dr. Kristine Young said. 'SUNY Orange was uniquely positioned. I'm so proud of our faculty for stepping up to offer this opportunity, and just as proud of our students for grabbing hold of it with both hands ... It's the kind of moment that reminds you what's possible when talent meets opportunity at community colleges.'
Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network's New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: More mastodon bones found in NY backyard: What to know about discovery
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