Landowner Uncovers Mammoth Fossils in Lafayette
Curt Matte found mammoth remains, including jaws, teeth and likely tusks, and contacted a UL Lafayette museum director to document the find.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Geology
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Local landowner Curt Matte uncovered fossil remains belonging to a mammoth in Lafayette, Louisiana, including portions of a skeleton, lower jaws, teeth and likely tusks. He contacted Dr. Jennifer Hargrave, director of the UL Lafayette Science Museum, to identify and document the discovery.
Why it matters
Louisiana's fossil record already includes mammoths, mastodons and giant ground sloths, and new finds on private land add to what scientists can learn about the region's past large mammals. Expert documentation helps ensure that discoveries made by landowners are properly recorded.
The find consists of portions of a mammoth skeleton, including lower jaws, teeth and likely tusks, as identified in the initial report. The exact age of the remains and the full scope of the skeleton remain undetermined pending expert study.
The players
Curt Matte
A local landowner in Lafayette, Louisiana, who discovered the mammoth fossil remains on his property and reached out for expert help.
Dr. Jennifer Hargrave
Director of the UL Lafayette Science Museum and a paleontologist at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, who was contacted to identify and document the find.
UL Lafayette Science Museum
A museum on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette that houses science collections and supports research and public education.
The details
Matte, a local landowner, uncovered the remains and reached out to Dr. Jennifer Hargrave, who serves as Science Museum director and as a paleontologist at UL Lafayette, for help identifying and documenting the fossils. Louisiana's fossil record already includes mammoths, mastodons, giant ground sloths and other large mammals.
Timeline
Recently, prior to publication: Landowner Curt Matte uncovered the mammoth fossil remains.
Big Picture
The find adds to Louisiana's established Pleistocene fossil record, which already documents mammoths, mastodons and giant ground sloths. Each new specimen helps researchers map which large mammals lived in the region and when.
Residents who find possible fossils on their land can contact university museums such as the UL Lafayette Science Museum for identification and documentation. Early expert review helps preserve the context needed for scientific study.
The takeaway
Local discoveries on private land can add meaningful pieces to the scientific record when they are reported and documented by experts. Landowners who find fossils can contact nearby university museums to help preserve them for study.
Further reading
For more on how rock layers and ancient life are studied, explore our Geology coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WNTZ - cenlanow.com.
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