A Mammoth Undertaking

We have been out exploring not only Custer State Park, but the surrounding area.  Last Friday, we set out with Rick and Linda to explore some of the sights in Hot Springs, some 30 miles to the south of Custer. 

As we headed south, we spotted a pair of coyotes. 

 

This one was fairly close, and we got a good look as he trotted toward the trees, with the wind ruffling his beautiful, thick coat.

He stopped to check for mice or ground squirrels in the grass,

then trotted along toward his mate, who was working the line between the short and tall prairie grasses.  

The colors of the grasses were breathtaking....what a great watercolor this would make.

When we reached Hot Springs, our first stop was for lunch.  On the far side of town where Hwy 385 meets Hwy 79, we found just the spot, the Highway 79 Brewery and Scratch Kitchen.  The food was great, and came just before we filled up on the salted peanuts that were sitting on our table in a pail when we arrived.  John and Rick recommend the Black Saddle Ale.  They also liked the decor,

but were really more interested in the Brew Room.  The brewmaster was on premises, and answered all their questions.  Unfortunately, he didn’t offer them samples of the other brews they make.

We also had a good time touring the Pioneer Museum, which is housed in the historic 1893 school house.  There are three floors of exhibits, thoughtfully arranged to give everyone something to see.  Linda and I especially enjoyed the sewing room with its many vintage machines, and the office with its antique typewriters.

But everyone’s favorite was the Hot Springs Mammoth Site.  The site was discovered in 1974 when construction uncovered mammoth bones in what turned out to be a prehistoric sinkhole.  The sinkhole was formed during the late Pleistocene era when a limestone cavern collapsed.  The collapse created a steep-sided sinkhole that was 120 feet by 150 feet wide at the surface, and which contained warm artesian water.  The pool was at least 65 feet deep, but may have been much deeper.  It was surrounded by the red and very slippery Spearfish Shale which you can see in some of the images.

 

It is estimated that the resulting pool gradually filled with silt over a period of hundreds of years, and that animals waded or fell into the pool, were unable to get out and died there.  Over thousands of years, the pool filled and the artesian springs dried up or were diverted.  The hardened mud inside the sinkhole was stable and the surrounding soil gradually eroded, leaving a hill composed of mud and filed with animal remains.

Following its discovery, a museum and building enclosing the site were established.  Excavation has continued here since its discovery.  We were told that the Hot Springs Mammoth Site has the greatest concentration of mammoth remains in the world, and includes the bones of 58 North American Columbian and 3 woolly mammoths.  The bones of the animals from the site were not petrified, or turned to stone, so they must be carefully stabilized before they can be removed.  

In addition to mammoth remains, bones of many other animals have been identified, including camels, llamas, wolves, coyotes, and many smaller animals.  Perhaps one of the most exciting discoveries has been the remains of at least two giant short-faced bears, which are extremely rare.  There is a replica of the skeleton of this animal,

as well as representations on the walls showing the size of the giant short-faced bear compared to other bears.

There are also replicas of Columbian Mammoth skeletons, 

as well as depictions of their size compared to other similar critters, extinct or not.

It is interesting that none of the bones from the site contain DNA, so there is no way to determine which bones belong to what animal, unless they are preserved in such a way as to allow researchers to determine they all belong together.  Several of the skeletons that are being excavated appear complete enough to belong to one individual.

By examining the bones, scientists have been able to determine that all the mammoths found so far have been young males.  Based on what they know from studying elephant behavior, the scientists speculate that the young males were kicked out of the mammoth herds once they reached adolescence.  They further theorize that lack of experience led them to venture into the sinkhole when older animals would have been wary of doing so.  I guess that makes as much sense as anything else.

This site is fascinating, and I hope you will visit if you are in the area.  It is an excellent facility, and the tours are conducted by personable, knowledgable individuals.  Depending on the depth of the site, personnel estimated it will take another 100 to 500 years to excavate completely.  That's good job security if you know anyone that would like to go into the field.