Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument

Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument near Hagerman, Idaho, contains the largest concentration of Hagerman horse fossils in North America. The fossil horses for which the monument is famous have been found in only one locale in the northern portion of the monument called the Hagerman Horse Quarry. The 4,351-acre (17.61 km2) monument is internationally significant because it protects the world's richest known fossil deposits from the late Pliocene epoch, 3.5 million years ago. These plants and animals represent the last glimpse of that time that existed before the Ice Age, and the earliest appearances of modern flora and fauna. This is also significant because the fossils present during this period of the Pliocene represent species which were alive during the early stages in the evolution of man, albeit on a different continent. The fossil beds were designated a National Natural Landmark in 1975.[3]

Mounted skeleton of a Hagerman horse, Equus simplicidens
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
IUCN category III (natural monument or feature)
View over Snake River in the National Monument
LocationTwin Falls County / Gooding County, Idaho, United States
Nearest cityHagerman, ID
Coordinates42°47′25″N 114°56′43″W
Area420,000 acres (1,700 km2)[1]
AuthorizedNovember 18, 1988 (1988-November-18)
Visitors25,982 (in 2016)[2]
Governing bodyNational Park Service
WebsiteHagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
Designated1975

Notable fossils
  • Hagerman horse, Equus simplicidens, formerly known as Plesippus shoshonensis
  • Camelops, an extinct genus of camel that once inhabited North America

Many other species are also found in the fossil record, including mastodons, saber-toothed cats, and bone-crushing dogs (Borophaginae), as well as various species of fish, frog, vole and beaver.

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References
  1. "Listing of acreage as of December 31, 2011". Land Resource Division, National Park Service. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  2. "NPS Annual Recreation Visits Report". National Park Service. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
  3. "Hagerman Fauna Sites". nps.gov. National Park Service.
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