Description

Expedition Summary
Help Earthwatch piece together life in the Ice Age at a truly mammoth site.

Expedition Details
An experienced and enthusiastic team leader, Dr Larry Agenbroad will give you a complete perspective on prehistoric environments and Pleistocene extinctions. Working with his field staff, you'll learn how to excavate, record, and preserve bone fragments from terraces and how to map your finds on a computer. You'll also share your knowledge with the many visitors to the site, now a USD 2.1 million museum and a National Natural Landmark thanks to Dr Agenbroad's efforts. Expect a warm welcome from Hot Springs locals, who are proud of their mammoths. You will also have a chance to visit natural areas nearby, and perhaps see free-ranging bison, deer, antelope, wild turkeys, and if you are really lucky, bighorn sheep or mountain goats.

Meals and Accommodations
After digging through 26,000-year-old sediments, you'll welcome showers at a comfortable motel located close to the site. You will share a same-gender room provided with two double beds, television, and a full bath, with laundry facilities a short walk away. Modern bathroom facilities and snack food vending machines are available at the dig site as well. Your team will enjoy hearty meals prepared by a local cook and served family-style, including a meat dish, vegetables, and salads, along with freshly prepared breads and desserts. Team members and staff will rotate kitchen clean-up duties.

About the Research Area
The Mammoth Site is within the city limits of Hot Springs, a small agricultural and retirement community named for its thermal springs. It is an attractive area physiographically and environmentally. The historic architecture gives a unique character to the town and the people are open and friendly, tending to adopt the crews.

Hot Springs is located within a valley on the eastern flank of the Black Hills area. The Black Hills are the first impression of western United States mountains that eastern tourists get. This area, referred to as an island in a sea of grass, contains a varied landscape and is composed of all the major geologic rock and mineral provinces. It is in sharp contrast to the surrounding prairie and high plains. The Mount Rushmore National Monument, Crazy Horse Memorial, Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Park, and other attractions are located in this region. Wind Cave has the largest herd of free-roaming bison in the United States.

Highlights

On a winter afternoon 26,000 years ago, in an effort to find greener fodder, a teenage male Columbian mammoth descended over the edge of a sinkhole and perished in the bottom, trapped in sediments. Over the years, this tragedy was repeated until eventually the deadly pond filled in, preserving at least 100 mammoth victims. Their deaths were unmarked until 1974, when geologist Dr Larry Agenbroad was called to investigate a tusk hit by a bulldozer. More than three decades later, you can help Dr. Agenbroad in his continued investigation of the world's largest natural deposit of Columbian mammoth remains. Working in a climate controlled environment, you'll assist in the excavation of mammoths, camels, llamas, and possibly even the first wolf and giant short-faced bear fossils found in the north-central plains.

Travel Types

• Archaeology
• Ecology
• Geology
• Nature Tours
• Volunteering
• Eco Tours
• Environmental Studies
• Photography
• Tours

Qualifications

No experience is necessary - all you will need is enthusiasm and the desire to make a difference. For over 40 years Earthwatch Institute has pioneered the involvement of ordinary people in peer-reviewed scientific research worldwide. By joining an Earthwatch Expedition, you have a unique opportunity to get up-close and personal with some of the world's rarest animals and visit remote and beautiful locations, while directly supporting conservation science. We offer life enhancing experiences in nearly 50 countries each year, with projects for teens, adults, and families.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

3,095 USD

Cost Includes:

• Emergency evacuation services
• Excursions
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Medical insurance
• Medical services
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

Our volunteers not only contribute essential funds that help to cover the cost of the research, but also, through their inspiration and effort, they provide the people power without which many of our vital projects simply couldn't take place. We are a non-profit organization but accommodation, meals, insurance, training and transport in the field are also included in your contribution cost. As a non-profit organization that supports scientific research, your contribution and airfare costs are usually tax-deductible for U.S. citizens.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Earthwatch expeditions appeal to a variety of people: educators gain new knowledge and develop exciting lesson plans; students explore career options and build research skills; writers, photographers and artists contribute their skills and share their experiences through a variety of media; businessmen and women, doctors and nurses, engineers, homemakers, retirees... people from all walks of life choose to volunteer on research expeditions each year. Volunteers are actively engaged on a daily basis with the research project, develop global perspectives, and explore new cultures and environments.

Age Range

Adult (age 18-90) teams available.

This Program is open to

Worldwide, American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi and South African Participants. This Program is also open to Families and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Apartment/Flat
• Independent living

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

in Groups of 10-12

Scholarships are Available

Very limited fellowships may be available, mainly for high-school students and educators. Visit our website for more information.

Application Process Involves

• Other
• Phone/Video Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

Brief

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network

Earthwatch Institute's Mission Statement

Our mission is to inspire connections between people and the environment by engaging them in worldwide scientific field research and education. These efforts will promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. Earthwatch enables scientists to pursue research goals and members of the public to gain hands-on experience with science. We believe it is essential that people participate in solving the environmental challenges we face.

Year Founded

1971