The fossils in this exhibit were found in south
and southwest Florida creeks and rivers. They're as
young as 10,000 years and as old as five million years.
Florida emerged from the warm Atlantic Ocean about 30
million years ago, 35 million years after dinosaurs
became extinct. For that reason, no one has ever found
any dinosaur bones in our state. However, ancient
mammals and sharks thrived here, including such unusual
creatures as two-story tall giant ground sloths, VW-size
armadillos, tiny three-toed horses, humpless camels,
hornless rhinos, fierce saber-toothed cats, massive
mammoths and sharks nearly as large as a blue whale.
Florida's first people were here to witness--if not
participate in--the demise of many of these animals
some 10,000 to 15,000 years ago.
(See Archaeology
section of this site.)
For additional photos to help you in identifying your
finds, see the book,
FOSSILING IN FLORIDA: A GUIDE FOR DIGGERS AND DIVERS.
Many of the photos contained within the museum appear
courtesy of University Press of Florida. Please do not
reproduce them without their permission.
For additional photos to help you identify mammoth bones, see the photos of the entire skeleton here