The Mammoth Site facts for kids

The Mammoth Site is a special museum and paleontological site located near Hot Springs, South Dakota. It's in the beautiful Black Hills area. This place is super cool because it's still an active dig site! Scientists and researchers are always working here to find more amazing things.

The main part of the site is a giant prehistoric sinkhole. This sinkhole formed a very long time ago, during the Pleistocene era (also known as the Ice Age). Over time, it slowly filled up with dirt and mud. Inside this mud, the remains of Ice Age animals and plants were perfectly preserved. They got trapped and buried in the sinkhole. As of 2016, scientists had found the bones of 61 mammoths here! Most of them were North American Columbian mammoths, but three woolly mammoths were also found. Mammoth bones were first discovered at this spot in 1974. Soon after, a museum and a building were built around the site to protect it. Today, the museum has a huge collection of mammoth bones and other ancient finds.

How the Sinkhole Formed

During the late Pleistocene period, the ground at the Mammoth Site collapsed. This happened when a cavern (a large cave) under the ground gave way. This collapse created a deep, steep-sided hole in the earth, which we call a sinkhole.

A Warm Water Trap

The sinkhole was about 65 feet (20 meters) deep. It was also quite wide, about 120 feet (37 meters) by 150 feet (46 meters) across at the top. This hole became a pond filled with warm water. This warm water came from underground springs, like a natural hot tub!

The bones of an Arctodus simus, also known as the short-faced bear.

Over many years, this pond slowly filled with soft mud. Scientists believe this took about 350 to 700 years. They know this because they've found worm burrows and even mammoth footprints in the layers of mud. This shows that the mud built up slowly while mammoths were still visiting the pond.

Why Mammoths Got Trapped

Mammoths were probably drawn to the pond because of its warm water and the plants growing around it. They would come to eat, drink, or even bathe. But the sides of the sinkhole were very steep and slippery. Sometimes, when the water level was low, a mammoth would slip in. Once inside, they couldn't find a good grip to climb out.

Trapped in the sinkhole, these huge animals eventually died. They might have starved, gotten too tired, or even drowned in the pond.

A cross-section showing mammoth footprints preserved in the mud.

Eventually, the sinkhole completely filled up with mud. The warm spring water found a new path to flow, moving to a lower area. Over thousands of years, the mud inside the dried-up pond became very hard. The land around it slowly wore away, but the hard mud plug stayed. This left the sinkhole as a high spot on the landscape, protecting the bones inside.

Amazing Ancient Animals

The warm spring pond at the Mammoth Site was a magnet for all kinds of wildlife. Scientists have found bones from many different Ice Age animals here.

What Animals Lived Here?

Besides the many mammoths, researchers have found remains of other large animals. These include giant short-faced bears, shrub oxen, and American camels. They've also found smaller animals like llamas, wolves, coyotes, birds, minks, ferrets, prairie dogs, voles, and even moles. Even tiny creatures like clams, snails, and slugs have been discovered!

Most of the mammoth bones found belong to Columbian Mammoths. However, the bones of three Woolly mammoths have also been found. It was very hard for mammoths to escape once they slipped into the sinkhole.

Young Male Mammoths

Scientists have studied the bones, especially the hip bones, of the mammoths found. They've learned that most of the mammoths that died here were young males.

This is interesting because modern elephants live in groups led by females (called matriarchal societies). Young male elephants often leave their family groups and can sometimes take more risks. Scientists think this might explain why so many young male mammoths ended up trapped in the sinkhole. They might have been more adventurous or less careful, leading to their unfortunate end.

How Old Are the Bones?

When the Mammoth Site was first discovered, scientists thought it was about 20,000 years old. They guessed this based on the other animal bones found with the mammoths. Animals like the Ice Age bear, camel, and shrub-ox suggested the site was from the late Ice Age.

Scientists have tried different ways to figure out the exact age of the bones and mud. They used methods like radiocarbon dating and uranium series dating. These methods help them understand how long ago the mammoths got trapped. The most recent studies suggest that the sinkhole and its bones are much older than first thought. They are likely over 26,000 years old, and possibly even older, around 128,000 years old!

A scientist carefully working to uncover bones at the Mammoth Site.

The Mammoth Site Museum

The story of the Mammoth Site began in 1974. A construction worker named George Hanson was preparing land for new homes when he dug up some unusual bones. His son quickly realized that one of the bones was a mammoth tooth!

The landowner, Phil Anderson, agreed to let people investigate further. In 1974, a complete mammoth skull and tusk were found. Phil Anderson generously donated the entire area where the bones were found to a non-profit organization. With the help of both amateur and professional diggers, the site became a museum. In 1980, it was named a National Natural Landmark, which means it's a very important natural place.

How They Dig and Study

In the beginning, scientists used a simple string grid to map where each bone was found. Today, they use advanced computer technology to map and record everything.

The Mammoth Site is a non-profit organization, which means it's dedicated to education and research. The museum is open to everyone who wants to visit. Each July, volunteers from the Earthwatch Institute come to help with the excavations. Scientists from all over the world, including Mexico, Italy, Russia, and Germany, have visited to study the finds.

The museum also has a collection of tools and artifacts from ancient human cultures, like the Clovis and Folsom people. They also have special programs for students of all ages, from elementary school to college, to teach them about paleontology and the Ice Age.