Denver Museum Reaches Agreement with Contractors

The Denver Museum of Science and Nature has reached agreement with contractors and the state’s historical preservation office to permit palaeontologists and field workers to return to a reservoir construction site where Ice Age fossils including of a number of prehistoric elephants have been discovered.

Ice Age Fossils

The site at Ziegler Reservoir has already yielded a number of very well preserved Ice Age mammal fossils including Woolly Mammoth specimens, one of which has been named “Snowy” by local residents as the location is near to the small town of Snowmass.

To read more about the discoveries, including the finding of the fossilised skull of a huge extinct species of bison: Huge Prehistoric Bison Skull Unearthed in Colorado.

The agreement permits the museum staff to spend seven weeks from mid May until July 1st continuing the excavation work that commenced last October, after the first fossils were found by builders extending the reservoir.  The site marks an ancient lake bed which seems to have preserved a large number of mega fauna specimens, large Ice Age mammals including Mastodon and Mammoth remains.

The Ziegler Reservoir Agreement

The agreement will allow the scientists to have the extra time they need to explore and map the site before the bulldozers move in.  Hopefully any more large specimens can be located and extracted before the reservoir extension work goes ahead.

Described as a “once in a lifetime discovery”, by museum staff, the Snowmass site can provide vital information about the local large mammal population that roamed the area more than 10,000 years ago.

To view models and replicas of Ice Age creatures: CollectA Deluxe Prehistoric World Models.