mastodon At a glance

Facts and figures on the American mastodon:

Mastodons were sturdy elephantlike animals that roamed open swamp areas and spruce forests.

Size: Mastodons stood about 9 feet tall at the shoulder and weighed 4 to 5 tons.

Distinctive qualities: Cone-shape teeth, shaggy hair, long tusks.

Where found: The mastodon lived across North America during the Ice Age. It was hunted by early humans. In Ohio, most complete specimens have been found in the sediments of former glacial lakes where they broke through the ice in winter or became bogged down in mud. Some specimens show evidence of having been butchered by Paleoindians.

Extinction: About 10,000 years ago.

Remains: Bones and teeth from about 90 mastodons have been found in Ohio.

Source: Columbus Dispatch

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