Ancient Treasures of the Deep

Megalodon Teeth, Mammoth Bones, and More Found By Scuba Divers

Have You Ever Discovered Underwater Treasure?

Of course, every dive! To me, treasure can be amazing marine life, stunning seascapes, incredible wrecks, and fantastic diving companions. Being underwater is a peaceful feeling that I treasure every time I dive.

But what of discoveries that are so unusual they make the evening news? Such as the magnificent megalodon tooth found by a diver off the coast of Florida a few weeks ago. As a biologist, I love reading about the discovery of ancient creatures. Here, we will look at some of the fantastic finds made by divers like you and me.

Megalodon teeth can be found in many places in the world - Photo credit: DAN.org

Megalodons in Florida and Beyond

A megalodon tooth measuring over 6 inches was recently discovered by a scuba diver in Venice, Florida. This Florida area is very popular with fossil hunters because of the large number of fossilised sharks’ teeth and other fossils it has yielded over the years.

Megalodon roamed oceans for over 13 million years. Still, only teeth & vertebrae remain to be found due to the creature’s cartilaginous skeleton. Like many modern-day sharks, megalodons shed teeth throughout their lifetimes.

While these massive teeth can be all over the world, they’re most common in North American. The largest intact tooth discovered to date comes from South Carolina and measures 7 ¼ inches. Others have been found in Peru and the UK.

Diving for Giant Mammoth Bones

In May this year, divers in Florida were also in the news when they discovered a humungous mammoth leg bone in the Peace River. Weighing over 50 lbs and measuring over 4 feet long, this mammoth femur is the largest of several finds made in that area to date.

Fossilised mammoth remains have also been found by divers in the Gulf of Mexico. Among notable finds are two Columbian mammoth tusks, measuring 4.5 and 8 ft respectively, retrieved by fossil-hunting divers off the Florida coast at the end of last year.

Derek Demeter poses with the mammoth femur in Florida. - Photo credit: Derek Demeter and Henry Sadler, reproduced from Live Science

Ancient Caribbean Crocodile Remains

In 2011, Divers looking for fossilised monkey bones as part of a research project in a cave in the Dominican Republic came across the bones and skulls of ancient crocodiles. These were identified as the remains of Cuban crocodiles, Crocodylus rhombifer, a species nowadays limited in its range exclusively to Cuba.

Four years later, remains of more Cuban crocodiles and dozens of other long-disappeared species were found by scuba divers in the Sawmill Sink sinkhole on Abaco.

These discoveries have added much valuable information about the past geographical distribution. In addition, we are now able to better identify factors in the decline of this critically endangered ancient species.

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The Giant Bear of The Cooper River

Despite its very challenging diving conditions, South Carolina’s Cooper River is famous for its fossil finds and draws fossil-hunting divers each year. The river has yielded a rich collection of the bones and teeth of many prehistoric creatures, including megalodons and mastodons.

A recent Cooper River Discovery brought us a 3-inch long tooth of a Giant Short-Faced Bear. One of North America’s largest ancient predators, this bear species would have stood around 12 feet tall and weighed 1500 lbs. The find has helped to significantly extend the known geographic range of the Giant Short-Faced Bear.

Fancy Finding Fossils Yourself?

Several dive sites are famous for their frequent fossil finds, particularly in the Florida area. An excellent resource to begin is FossilGuy.com. This site is an excellent guide for fossil hunting and amateur paleontology.

When planning a fossil-hunting dive trip, make sure to consult your local experts. They will be able to give you pointers to the best areas, alert you to any local hazards, and sometimes act as a guide.

Always Dive Safely

Whether diving with a guide or on your own with a buddy, make sure you adhere to safe diving practices at all times.  Be sure to plan your depth and time carefully,  and practice good buoyancy control. Check your air and no-deco time frequently and stay close to your buddy.

You should always make sure you have your visual & audible markers on you. You may also find a waterproof Cmarine rescue radio such as the Nautilus Lifeline essential if you plan to hunt for fossils.

Can I Keep the Fossils I Find?

Most likely, yes. However, it depends on where you find the fossils. When planning your trip, make sure to find out beforehand and arrange any special permissions and licenses you may need.

It’s always worth sharing the news of your discoveries with your nearest natural history museum. Here you can earn valuable information about your find and make a precious contribution to scientists’ understanding of the ancient fossil record.

Many divers choose to donate their finds to a museum or to a charity auction for a good cause. Whatever you decide, the search is sure to be an adventure.

Fossils – The Past, Present, and Future of Our Oceans

Ancient creatures are immensely fascinating, and holding a small piece of one in your hand feels deeply special. Imagine what life was like for this creature millions of years ago!

Nautiluses are over 500 million years old - Photo credit: PADI Media Library.

Did you know that there are a few actual fossils living today? Species like the long-thought-extinct Coelacanth, the Nautilus, and the Horse Crab are so ancient their ages are measured in hundreds of millions of years. Due to very little change in their appearance over such a long time, Darwin called these creatures “living fossils.”

Consider supporting conservation efforts that help these living fossils and other marine life have a better chance of continued survival. Participating in local beach clean-ups and donating to ocean conservation funds are little steps you can take to make a big difference in the fossils of tomorrow.

About the Author

Alexandra fell in love with the underwater world when she was 10 years old. A fish ID expert and keen marine conservationist, she is now a PADI Master Instructor with 12 years of experience working in the Caribbean.

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