On August 14, according to ABC News, an amateur fossil hunter in Mississippi discovered a mammoth tusk weighing approximately 270 kg, in remarkable condition.
Eddie Templeton, an amateur fossil collector, stumbled upon the tusk in early August while walking through the wilderness of Madison County, USA. The tusk was found partially submerged in water, wedged in mud and clay in the streambed.
This 270 kg tusk belongs to a Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi). (Source: MDEQ)
Recognizing the significance of this discovery, Eddie quickly alerted archaeologists. The summer heat could dry out and damage this precious specimen, prompting the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science to provide resources to assist in the excavation and preservation of the fossil.
When the archaeological team arrived at the site, they found the fossilized tusk in astonishing condition, with only a part exposed above the water beneath a rock ledge. Based on the curvature of the tusk, scientists suspect it belongs to a Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi) – an unprecedented find in this region.
Eddie and the excavation team spent the entire day carefully removing the clay surrounding the tusk, revealing a nearly intact fossil measuring 7 feet (2 meters) long and weighing approximately 600 pounds (270 kg). Experts confirmed that this is indeed a tusk of a Columbian mammoth, a species that lived during the Pleistocene and crossed the Bering land bridge into North America around 1.5 million years ago.
This is an extremely rare find, as most mammoth tusks previously discovered in Mississippi are merely fragments.
Geologist James Starnes from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) noted: “Mammoth tusks are often not well-preserved in this area.”
Eddie Templeton shared with the local newspaper The Clarion-Ledger: “When I realized it was a mammoth and not a mastodon, I was even more excited. I had never found any part of a mammoth before. I always hoped to find a part of a mammoth, but that is quite rare here.”
Columbian mammoth tusk measuring 2 meters. (Source: MDEQ)
Mississippi was once home to three species of Proboscidea during the last Ice Age: Mastodon, Gomphothere, and Mammuthus columbi. Mastodon was the most common in this area. Mammuthus columbi was less common as they primarily lived in grassland regions. Gomphotheres, which are more closely related to mastodons, are rarely found in Mississippi, with only a few isolated teeth discovered.
Fossils of mammoth species such as the American mastodon (Mammut americanum) have been found throughout Mississippi due to their adaptability to various environments. However, the Columbian mammoth grazed in open plains, making the discovery of their fossils in this area quite rare.
This region was also once inhabited by other animals such as horses, bison, giant tortoises, and entelodonts, alongside Ice Age predators like wolves, saber-toothed cats, and American lions.
The Columbian mammoth went extinct around 13,000 to 11,000 years ago, while their close relative, the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) survived for another 6,000 years. The last known woolly mammoths lived on Wrangel Island, Russia, until about 3,700 years ago.
Fossilized Columbian mammoth tusk in the streambed. (Photo: MDEQ).
A recent study suggests that a mysterious event may have led to the extinction of these last mammoths, contrasting with previous research that indicated inbreeding led to their “catastrophic” DNA.
After documenting the site, the tusk was covered in plaster for protection, and the research team carefully transported it to a truck, where it was taken to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science for continued preservation and study.
This is the first known mammoth fossil in the area, notable for its impressive size and exceptional preservation.
