Ancient Mastodon Tooth Discovered in California Creek

A geomorphologist surveying a creek in San Mateo County, California, has discovered a fossilized tooth belonging to a Pacific mastodon, an extinct elephant-like herbivore. The find was announced by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen).

The tooth was found by Brigid Lynch, a geomorphologist with Balance Hydrologics, who was in the area to assess habitat improvements for the threatened California red-legged frog. Lynch initially mistook the object for an unusually shaped rock.

Wayne Thompson, CEO of Pacific Paleontology, examined the fossil and stated that the tooth is in "immaculate condition." He estimates the molar dates back between 50,000 and 100,000 years, based on its location. This age is significantly older than the commonly cited figure of 10,000 years for mastodon extinction.

Thompson noted that the tooth's excellent preservation, particularly its intact roots, suggests it had not moved far from where the mastodon died. He believes the rest of the animal's skeleton may still be buried at the site.

Researchers from Stanford University's Doerr School of Sustainability are planning to carbon date the molar to determine its exact age and will create a 3-D scan for replication.

Mastodons, which went extinct around 11,700 years ago, typically inhabited creek and river valleys and browsed on leaves. Alder trees, a common food source for mastodons, are still abundant along the creek where the tooth was discovered.