Complete mastodon jaw unearthed in New York after homeowner spots teeth in backyard

A complete mastodon jaw was discovered in the backyard of a home in New York's Hudson Valley, marking the state's first such find in more than a decade, officials announced this week.

The Stockton, New York, homeowner initially spotted two teeth hidden in the fronds of a plant on their property and proceeded to uncover two more teeth buried inches underground, the New York State Museum said. Staff from the museum, which is based in Albany and has an archaeological research department, and SUNY Orange launched an investigation at the property. 

Their excavation unearthed additional fossils, including a full, well-preserved adult jaw and fragments of rib and toe bones that once belonged to a mastodon — ancient giants that existed during the Ice Age and became extinct some 10,000 years ago. The term refers to a group of massive elephant-like species, like the mammoth.