Among the best-known fossil sites in the world is Rancho La Brea (more commonly known as La Brea Tar Pits) in Los Angeles, California. Starting about 40,000 years ago, asphalt seeps trapped animals and insects. The bones of the animals trapped in the seeps were impregnated with asphalt, thus preserving them for study by today’s paleontologists. More than 10,000 individual animals from 565 species have been recovered from the site. Among the mammals found at La Brea are bison and camels.
Antique Bison
Bison originated in Asia and migrated to North America about 200,000 years ago. Their arrival marks the beginning of the Rancholabrean land mammal age. In his book Ice Age Mammals of North America, Ian Lange reports:
“Unfortunately, the actual date of the Rancholabrean Land Mammal Age is not known accurately, and dates vary between 300,000 and 100,000 years ago.”
At Rancho La Brea, bison are the most common large herbivore.
The Antique Bison (Bison antiquus) had a larger body, greater shoulder hump, and longer horns than the modern Plains buffalo. At least 150 of these animals have been found at La Brea.
Ian Lange reports:
“Evolution of Bison bison antiquus resulted in the development of two presently living subspecies, the plains bison (Bison bison bison) and the slightly larger woods bison (Bison bison athabascae). These animals are now the largest land animals in North America.”
Camel
Camels originated in North America about 45 million years ago and later migrated to Asia, Africa, and South America. This display shows Yesterday’s Camel (Camelops hesternus), the larger of the two species of camel found at La Brea. This camel had a single hump. Yesterday’s Camel is more closely related to living llamas.
Paleontology 101
Paleontology 101: American Mastodons at the La Brea Tar Pits
Paleontology 101: Sloths at La Brea Tar Pits
Paleontology 101: The Dire Wolf (Photo Diary)
Paleontology 101: The North American Camel
Paleontology 101: The Hagerman Horse, Equus Simplicidens
Paleontology 101: North American Horses, Rhinos, and Camels (Photo Diary)
Paleontology 101: Wolves, Dogs, Cats, and Bears (Photo Diary)
Paleontology 101: Ancient North American Elephants