The Mammoth Site
at Hot Springs, South Dakota
About 26,000 years ago a deep, water-filled sink hole in southwestern South Dakota proved deadly for numerous elephantine mammoths.
The sink was a highly mineralized hot spring. Presumably, the steep, slick sides of the sink caused unfortunate animals to slip in... with no way out. After eventually drowning, the animals would sink to the pool's bottom, soft parts would decay, and the remaining bones were wonderfully preserved in the hot mineral water.
The site was discovered during some construction in 1974, and has since been the focus of annual "digs" to discover the remains of the mammoths.
The pictures below are from the site. Use them to develop your own presentations. Click on a picture to see the image at full size.
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