Researchers recover ancient mammoth tusk during deep-sea expedition

A team of researchers from UC Santa Cruz, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and University of Michigan are studying the tusk retrieved from deep waters off the California coast

Randy Prickett piloting MBARI's remote vehicle, Doc Ricketts, while senior scientist Steven Haddock documents the mammoth tusk.

November 22, 2021 | Raul Nava (MBARI) & Tim Stephens (UCSC)

The ocean’s dark depths hold many secrets. During an expedition aboard the R/V Western Flyer in 2019, ROV pilot Randy Prickett and scientist Steven Haddock made a peculiar observation. While exploring a seamount located 300 kilometers (185 miles) offshore of California and 3,070 meters (10,000 feet) deep, the team from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) spotted what looked like an elephant’s tusk.

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Last modified: Aug 19, 2024