Fred the Mastodon, who lived in the Midwestern United States, had a tragic end to his story.
It begins 13,000 years ago, when Fred was still small, and likely stayed with his family for most of his early life. In his adolescent years, he made a path for himself and left his old home. He then roamed what is now Indiana for the rest of his life, in hopes of finding a mate.
Nowadays, Fred’s skeleton is preserved in the Indiana State Museum. Since Mastodons are related to elephants, they have tusks. Fred’s tusks have been preserved and studied to see what he did in his life. The chemical compounds helped researchers find out Fred’s migration patterns.
Josh Miller, a paleoecologist, or a person who studies the remains of the past, is one of the researchers who co-authored the paper that studied Fred the Mastodon. He says swamps are particularly good for preservation, and since Fred ended up in a swamp, it made him perfect for observation. “He has beautifully preserved bones, beautifully preserved tusks, and that really provides a beautiful opportunity to do this kind of work,” Miller said.
Mastodons’ tusks grow in layers, like a tree trunk’s rings. Each layer isn’t a way to tell the Mastodon’s age, but the nutrients making up each layer help researchers know where Fred traveled when he was alive.
When Fred was still small, he stuck to his herd and grew quickly. But then, there’s a year when Fred’s growth was stunted— and this is where Miller’s research shines.
Miller hypothesized that Fred was kicked out of his herd for being a nuisance, and his tusks started showing signs of his travels. During the summers, he would return to Northeast Indiana. Around this time, Fred’s tusks showed signs of battle, indicating this was his preferred mating ground.
Mastodons get into huge battles when fighting for mates, and one or even both males that are fighting could die. Mastodons usually use their tusks as their weapons. One fateful summer, another Mastodon stabbed their tusk into Fred’s skull. The injury may have killed Fred, but his skeleton and his story will stay with us.
It begins 13,000 years ago, when Fred was still small, and likely stayed with his family for most of his early life. In his adolescent years, he made a path for himself and left his old home. He then roamed what is now Indiana for the rest of his life, in hopes of finding a mate.
Nowadays, Fred’s skeleton is preserved in the Indiana State Museum. Since Mastodons are related to elephants, they have tusks. Fred’s tusks have been preserved and studied to see what he did in his life. The chemical compounds helped researchers find out Fred’s migration patterns.
Josh Miller, a paleoecologist, or a person who studies the remains of the past, is one of the researchers who co-authored the paper that studied Fred the Mastodon. He says swamps are particularly good for preservation, and since Fred ended up in a swamp, it made him perfect for observation. “He has beautifully preserved bones, beautifully preserved tusks, and that really provides a beautiful opportunity to do this kind of work,” Miller said.
Mastodons’ tusks grow in layers, like a tree trunk’s rings. Each layer isn’t a way to tell the Mastodon’s age, but the nutrients making up each layer help researchers know where Fred traveled when he was alive.
When Fred was still small, he stuck to his herd and grew quickly. But then, there’s a year when Fred’s growth was stunted— and this is where Miller’s research shines.
Miller hypothesized that Fred was kicked out of his herd for being a nuisance, and his tusks started showing signs of his travels. During the summers, he would return to Northeast Indiana. Around this time, Fred’s tusks showed signs of battle, indicating this was his preferred mating ground.
Mastodons get into huge battles when fighting for mates, and one or even both males that are fighting could die. Mastodons usually use their tusks as their weapons. One fateful summer, another Mastodon stabbed their tusk into Fred’s skull. The injury may have killed Fred, but his skeleton and his story will stay with us.
