A local fossil enthusiast in Madison County, Mississippi, accidentally discovered a giant mammoth tusk, according to a report on Monday.

Eddie Templeton discovered the tusk while exploring the area in early August, and the roughly seven-foot-long tusk was partially exposed in a steep bank, according to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). tv set.

The agency believes the tusk belongs to a Columbian mammoth, which lived in Jackson Prairie in central Mississippi during the last Ice Age.

“This is the first time a Columbian mammoth tusk has been found in this area, which makes this discovery even more remarkable,” an MDEQ representative said in a statement to WJTV. Columbian mammoths are significantly larger than woolly mammoths, standing up to 15 feet tall at the shoulder and weighing more than 10 tons.

The tusk was transported to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson for further study and preservation. Museum paleontologists confirmed its identity and noted that such discoveries provide valuable insights into the prehistoric fauna of the region. (Related article: Mammoth resurrection? Scientists take big step forward)

The Columbian mammoth was a gigantic species that lived in North America. Unlike its woolly cousin, the Columbian mammoth was adapted to a warmer climate and preferred grasslands, savannahs, and open woodlands. National Park Service.

They had long, curved tusks that they used to find food. They are thought to have lived in matrilineal groups, like modern elephants. They were primarily herbivores, feeding on grasses, shrubs, and other plants. They became extinct about 12,000 years ago.