Age. Rancholabrean.
General Description. Little published information appears to be available. The location is within Lincoln National Forest and is protested by a permit system through the Guadalupe Ranger District (Turner 2001).
Discussion. Several photographs of an apparently complete bear skeleton partially covered by flowstone are on the web and one photograph was submitted to me many years ago for identification. Unfortunately, none of the photographs has a scale and none is close enough to be sure of diagnostic features beyond the identification of bear. My original tentative identification suggested the Short-faced Bear (Arctodus simus) is represented. Some of the photographs on the web are labeled as Black Bear. I have taken a conservative approach and merely record it as a member of the Ursidae.
Fauna
Ursidae—Bear
Literature. Turner 2001.
Last Update: 31 Oct 2009