Over Memorial Day weekend, a remarkable discovery was made on a California beach. A massive tooth from an ancient mastodon was initially found by a tourist who had no idea of its significance. The tourist, who has connections to the Santa Cruz area, shared a photo of the 1-foot-long tooth on social media. Fortunately, Wayne Thompson, an expert from the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, recognized the fossil and alerted the tourist to its importance. Thompson identified it as the molar tooth of the Pacific Mastodon Mammut pacificus, adding that it was an incredibly significant find.
Mastodons, which belonged to a group of elephant-like species including mammoths, lived during the Ice Age and became extinct around 10,000 years ago. Previous remains of these ancient creatures have been discovered in Santa Cruz. However, when Thompson returned to the spot where the tourist had seen the tooth, it had disappeared. Thankfully, the natural history museum appealed to the public for help in locating the missing fossil, which resulted in its recovery.
The Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History highlighted the significance of this find, stating, “Only two other specimens of the Pacific mastodon have been recorded locally, both of which are held in our collections. This new discovery is of great significance for our developing understanding of life in the area during the last ice age.” Further, a local resident named Jim Smith, who regularly jogs on Rio Del Mar beach, stumbled upon the tooth the next morning and promptly reported it to the museum.
The museum expressed their excitement and appreciation for the discovery, with Liz Broughton, the visitor experience manager, sharing her enthusiasm. The museum plans to both showcase the tooth in an exhibit and make it available for scientific study. Currently, the Santa Cruz history museum already has a skull and another tooth from a mastodon on display. Thompson himself uncovered the skull in 1980 after a teenager found it in Aptos Creek. He dedicated numerous years to its restoration.
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