Florida Museum seeks volunteers for Newberry fossil dig

September 18, 2006

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History Vertebrate Paleontology Division is looking for volunteers this fall to assist with fossil collecting at a major site discovered in 2005 at a limestone quarry northeast of Newberry.

The fossil dig will continue from Sept. 18 to Dec. 20 with work on weekends and weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and physically fit enough to work outside for a minimum of three hours. No previous experience necessary. For more information, visit http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/vertpaleo/2006_dig.htm or e-mail rhulbert@flmnh.ufl.edu.

This fossil site has produced about 100 partial to nearly complete animal skeletons that are approximately two million years old. Fossils of tapirs, ground sloths, frogs and turtles are very abundant, and in all about 40 different species have been found. Museum paleontologists anticipate the discovery of more species and many more skeletons.