3-Million-Year-Old Camelop Fossil Discovered on I-70 in Colorado
Prior to the last Ice Age, Camelops used to roam through what would become Colorado and New Mexico for a few million years. Camelops ranged from Alaska all the way down to Guatemala with many passing through the Grand Junction area.
Since Camelops have been gone for over 10,000 years how would anyone remember what they looked like? It makes you wonder how the crews with CDOT's Colorado Central 70 Project knew what they had stumbled upon back in 2021.
CDOT's Central 70 Project
Colorado's Department of Transportation had been working on adding express lanes to a 10-mile stretch of I-70 when they unearthed a fossil that turned out to be millions of years old. KDVR.com reported that a Camelop fossil was unearthed near a Union Pacific Crossing where it had probably been resting for millions of years.
What Did A Camelop Look Like?
Crews that made the discovery noted that the fossils included a couple of the Camelop's teeth. This will go a long way in helping scientists continue to learn about what the Camelops looked like and how they migrated through Colorado. The name Camelop comes from the Ancient Greeks which literally means "camel-face". Scientists are uncertain if Camelops had the usual "hump" we are used to seeing on most camels.
Fossils in Colorado
The day the Camelops fossils were found was a big day in Colorado. Several fossils have been discovered during the Central 70 Project which involved demolishing highways, overpasses, and moving tons of earth.
Recently, Horned dinosaur bones were found near Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and are supposed to be close to 70 million years old.