Paleo offers look at pre-historic South Shore
Can you name Florida’s state fossil?
By STEPHEN FLANAGAN JACKSON
How would you like to go back in time, say 1.5 million years? Vicariously, of course.
Schools and students in the South Shore area have this exceptional opportunity. Merely contact the Paleo Preserve Museum in Ruskin. And, by the way, you can order to go, and this phenomenal collection of pre-historic life in Hillsborough County will come to you!
Paleo received a grant from the Mosaic Company for $1,000 to support this project called “B.O.W.-Wow! Share a bone!” Mosaic is an international company, which mines and processes phosphate in Hillsborough County for phosphate fertilizer production. Mosaic mines, produces and distributes millions of tons of high quality potash and phosphates products each year, without fertilizers,
When COVID closed the local schools, all field trips were canceled, including three field trips Paleo had scheduled for May 2020. With that door closed, a Paleo’s volunteer came up with the idea to create small fossil boxes to distribute to local schools.
Ten boxes were distributed in October 2020 at the same time as Mosaic announced a new grant opportunity to support nonprofit organizations working to address the needs resulting from COVID. Paleo wanted the fossils to be shared with students at the schools, since the schools couldn’t come to Paleo, and included an invitation to visit Paleo when field trips resumed. Realizing Mosaic’s grant would give Paleo the opportunity to create additional fossil boxes, expand the museum’s collection and build more display cases, Patricia Moore, director of the Paleo preserve went for it…and got it.
Moasic awarded the grant to Paleo in November 2020. Paleo received the check in December 2020.
The original fossil boxes contained six fossils:
Echnoid (extinct sea urchin) — Pliocene- 1.5-5 million years old. This is the Florida state fossil.
Turtle nucal shell piece — Pleistocene- 1-1.5 million years old.
Mammal antler fragment — Pleistocene.
Equus tooth (extinct horse) — Pleistocene.
Mammoth tooth fragment — Pleistocene.
Gar fish scale — Pliocene.
Bag of small shark teeth
Nine fossils are neatly placed in each box. The mammal antler fragment was replaced by a camel tooth and three new fossils added: Mako shark tooth, fish vertebrae and alligator teeth.
Although the boxes are small, 9”x4,” they contain good quality fossils. They’re given to the local schools free of charge. Paleo’s challenge has been having a contact person at the school to handle receiving the box and then sharing with students. Teachers interested in receiving a fossil box to give their students a “hands on experience” of seeing bones and teeth from millions of years ago can contact Paleo Preserve Fossil Museum: contact Moore at 813-385-7247 or info@paleopreserve.com. Moore also encourages visiting Paleo’s updated website at paleopreserve.com.
The Paleo Preserve is a small, non-profit museum featuring fossils, photos, exhibits and newspaper articles, including the amazing, scientific breakthrough from the famous Leisey Shell Pit 1983 discovery at Cockroach Bay near Ruskin. The Preserve is open to the public Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. or by appointment.
The Paleo offers many unique interactive experiences for schools and groups throughout the year at the Paleo museum at 4140 24th St.SE in Ruskin near the Little Manatee River.
Visitors can learn and enjoy an on-site educational presentation with a “hands on” dig experience, which creates excitement and interest in scientific exploration through personal discovery. Participants discover and keep the fossils they collect. Paleo will also, upon request, send a fossil expert to your location to present a lecture. As a bonus, this will include bringing along a “mobile museum” of fossils.
The Paleo is located inside the Camp Bayou Nature Preserve, and its distinct features and programs continue. For example, if you are looking to give someone a special birthday, bring your child and guests to the Paleo Preserve for a “Paleo Party.” While you are setting up for the party in the Pavillion, the group will be provided an age-appropriate presentation, a tour of the museum, and a fossil dig. No need for treat bags as the children will be able to keep fossils they find. The birthday child receives a special gift.
On any visit by anyone at anytime, the Paleo guarantees you will take home a fossil.