KENT CITY, Mich. — Road crews stumbled upon a major find in Kent City this week!
A set of mastodon bones were unearthed near an intersection along 22 Mile Road, according to Ken Yonker with the Kent County Drain Commission.
Yonker tells FOX 17 contractors initially believed they had encountered a red pipe until further excavation revealed two femurs and a leg bone.
On Friday, crews discovered a large pelvic bone (intact!) along with a mandible, shoulder blade and some pieces of vertebrae.
The mastodon is estimated to have been under 10 years old when it died, evidenced by the level of development in its knee joints.
The University of Michigan is currently assisting with the discovery, as is the Grand Rapids Public Museum. We’re told the bones were found on private property and the owners have pledged to donate them to the museum.
READ MORE: The history of mastodons in Michigan
