One of my favorite places to visit as a child was the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. I would stand at the edge of the pit and marvel at the Mastodon’s trapped in the tar. Although, the most common fossils found at the Rancho La Brea site have been Dire Wolves, Coyotes, as well as Saber-Toothed Cats.
The tar at the site still bubbles from the natural gases trapped beneath. The site is a time capsule, in which prehistoric animals and birds roaming the area became trapped in the tar, and made easy targets for predators like the wolves and big cats, which also got stuck. It was an endless cycle as you’ll find out as you roam the exhibits within the Page Museum.
Stop and watch the team of paleontologists at the Fossil Lab as they continue to uncover new fossils found in Project 23. This project has uncovered many Ice Age fossils that were trapped in the tar in the Los Angeles Basin between 40,000 and 10,000 years ago. And, they are still digging in the area because they never know what they might find?
Tickets are available for the Ice Age Encounter Stage Show in the Page Museum that features a life-size adult Saber-toothed Cat puppet. Combined with a live performance and film projections, the encounter uncovers the mysteries behind the animals that roamed the area. The Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits host many exhibits, programs, and volunteer opportunities throughout the year so check out their website for updates.