Survival of mammoths (Mammuthus sp.) into the Late Pleistocene in Southwestern British Columbia (Vancouver Island), Canada
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences Canadian Science Publishing
Authors:
L Termes, G Keddie, R Hebda, P Trask, V Arbour, C Speller, L Paskulin, Christopher Ramsey, Mr Richards
Abstract:
As part of a larger project identifying and directly radiocarbon dating Late Pleistocene
megafaunal remains in British Columbia (B.C.), Canada we have confirmed the identity of
many newly identified mammoth (Mammuthus sp.) specimens (n=32) from Vancouver Island
in Southwestern B.C. We undertook radiocarbon dating on all specimens and were able to
obtain dates (due to preservation) on 16 of these remains, including re-dating a previously
dated mammoth using newer radiocarbon extraction methods. The mammoth dates span a
wide range, from >47,500 to 18,000 radiocarbon years BP (uncalibrated). These later new
dates support other lines of evidence for portions of Vancouver Island remaining unglaciated
towards the end of Late Pleistocene.