A 12,000-Year-Old Giant from West Feliciana Parish

 

DURING THE LAST MAJOR ADVANCE OF GLACIAL ICE, WHEN SPRUCE, LARCH, AND OTHER NORTHERN PLANTS GREW ON THE TUNICA HILLS NORTH OF BATON ROUGE, ELEPHANTLIKE MAMMALS SUCH AS THE GREAT AMERICAN MASTODON ROAMED THESE WOODLANDS. ALTHOUGH NUMEROUS ISOLATED MASTODON BONES HAVE BEEN FOUND IN LOUISIANA, THE ONES DISPLAYED BELOW REPRESENT THE MOST NEARLY COMPLETE MASTODON SKELETON EVER FOUND WITHIN THE STATE. THE SPECTACULAR DISCOVERY WAS FIRST MADE BY AN LSU FORESTRY STUDENT ON JANUARY 9, 1959. LATER EXCAVATIONS BY THE STAFF OF THE MUSEUM OF GEOLOGY RESULTED IN THE LOCATION OF ADDITIONAL BONES.