Another supposed mammoth bone found at site south of Kennewick

Kennewick — Another large bone thought to be from a mammoth that wandered Washington thousands of years ago has been found on a 27-acre site southwest of Kennewick.

It was unearthed far enough from the spot where other mammoth remains were found in May that experts believe more than one of the creatures is buried there.

"For me, it's just exciting to have another animal there. It's a one in a million (find)," said Jake Shapley, a graduate student at Central Washington University and co-leader of the May dig.

Shapley and students from Central and Kamiakin High School in Kennewick are planning an excavation at the site Saturday. Groups from those schools were at the first dig earlier this year.

Shapley said the bone that was just found appears to be from a mammoth, but there's a slim chance it could be from a similar creature called a mastodon, he said.

The latest find isn't the only development at the site. A nonprofit group, the McBones Foundation, has formed with the idea of turning the dusty open land into a hub for science education and exploration.

"McBones" stands for Mid-Columbia Basin Old Natural Educational Sciences.

A website for the group should be launched soon, and the dig site now has electricity thanks to help from Sun River Electric Services in Kennewick.

"We're getting a lot of people on board in the community," said Cindy House, vice-president of the foundation and site facilitator.

The future of the land was uncertain during the May dig because it was owned by a bank and was for sale. But two brothers from the Tri-Cities agreed to buy it so it could be used for education.

They've asked their names not be disclosed, but House has acted as their spokeswoman.

She said the plan is to open the site up to the public. One thing that's needed for that to happen are coverings, such as canopies, to protect the bones that have been found, House said.