Video: Boy in Michigan Discovers Mastodon Tooth in Grandparent’s Backyard

A boy in Birch Run, Michigan was out poking around his grandparent’s backyard one evening when he discovered a mastodon tooth, which scientists say is 11 to 13 thousand-years-old.

Owen Vettraino was riding four-wheelers with his cousin one weekend when something in a pond caught his eye. As he approached whatever it was, Owen originally thought it was a dead fish, but taking a closer look, he was able to determine that he’d found something much more significant.

According to the Fox 47 News video below, Owen’s mom emailed The University of Michigan Paleontology department, who confirmed Owen had stumbled on a mastodon tooth.

“In Michigan, it’s more common that elsewhere, since the mid 1800s or so there have been about 300 documented mastodon fossils found in Michigan,” said Adam Routrey, collection manager at the U of M Museum of Paleontology.

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