OFF VENICE, Fla. – A fossil hunter is all smiles after finding a giant Mastodon or Mammoth tusk in the Gulf of Mexico.
Alex Lundberg was diving in about 25 feet of water recently, about a mile off Venice, when he found a 4 1/2-foot-long tusk.
Lundberg then very carefully loaded his incredible discovery into his boat.
Lundberg says he’s pretty sure the 60-pound tusk is from a Mastodon based on the shape, but said a Mammoth is also definitely possible.
Scientists say Mastodons weighed between 4 and 6 tons and were 8 to 10 feet tall.
“Based on other fossils we’ve found there, our best estimate is the site is middle to late Pleistocene,” said Lundberg. “So, about 500,000 years at the oldest and 10,000 at the youngest.”
Lundberg reported his find to the Florida Museum of Natural History as a requirement of his fossil hunting permit.
Local 10 News asked Lundberg if he knew how much this piece of prehistoric history was worth.
“I’m not too sure on the price,” Lundberg said. “I’m more of a collector than a buyer/seller.”
This area in the Gulf of Mexico off Venice is a haven for fossil hunters.