Biology I - Article Abstract 7– 25
Points
INSTRUCTIONS: Read this article and outline
its important points by answering the questions at the bottom.
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Central Florida Fossils owner David Celli and his daughter Cora,10, had a table of fossils set up near the historic Sams
House at the Merritt Island Pioneer Day on Feb. 7.
While Titusville’s David Celli is
not a professional paleontologist, those who know him will tell you he’s a
“very alert” amateur when it comes to identifying the preserved remains and
impressions of ancient life, commonly known as fossils.
The Brevard native, who took up
the hobby while in junior high science class, has been digging for bones and
teeth from prehistoric creatures since the 1990s.
If I’m not working, I’m out
exploring, networking with fellow diggers, researching information about my
collection, or sharing it with others,” said Celli, a Brevard Parks and
Recreation employee.
“I rarely leave my home without a
shovel and other digging tools in my car,” he joked.
His collection of fossils, he
estimates, could be worth thousands of dollars if he were interested in
selling. It includes everything from rare bones found at a phosphate mining
site in northwestern Florida geologist have named, “Bone Valley,” (the home of
now extinct giant megalodon sharks, 6-foot tortoises, shovel-tusked mastodons,
hornless rhinos, even 30-foot crocodiles) to an array of numerous deer, bison
and horse jaw bones he discovered near the Indian River and others around the
state. But Celli is not looking to part with his fossil treasures anytime soon.
“I have traded a few pieces with
friends and may someday donate them to a museum, but for now, I just enjoy
sharing them with others,” he said.
Celli, who displayed his
collection at the Pioneer Day celebration held at the historical Sam’s House site
on Merritt Island last month, has been sharing his findings with attendees at
similar Brevard Parks and Recreation-sponsored events for several years.
“When I was asked to show my
display several years ago at one of the first events they had, I came up with
the name, “Central Florida Fossils,” one that I figured folks could identify me
with,” he said.
Celli, who laughed when he
confided his mother used to throw out what she referred to as those old bones
she found in his room when he was a teen, has now convinced his 10-year old
daughter, Cora, that finding fossils and learning about their origins and how
to identify them is something that can be fun, as well as educational.
Not only has she now become
fascinated with his finds, the fifth-grader has a fossil collection of her own
and often accompanies him on many of his excursions, as well as his volunteer
display outings.
“My favorite and most interesting
find was that of a deer antler I discovered near a tree by the Indian River in
Merritt Island,” she said. “It was unique in that it looked as if it had been
polished, probably by the Indians, according to my dad. I thought it was really
pretty.”
“I like going with my dad,
discovering. Many times we camp near the rivers.”
Her dad said Cora eagerly shares
her findings, as he does.
“It was a great piece for her to
bring to school for show and tell,” said Celli, who regularly volunteers at
several of the county’s elementary schools, providing a hands-on learning
opportunity for the kids.
I’ve given hundreds of pieces of
bones and sharks teeth to many of those who have seen my displays, either at
the schools or community events, with the intent to leave them with a souvenir
of the experience,” Celli said.
Through the use of a free
identification service offered by the University of Florida’s Cenozoic
Department, he has been able to determine the approximate age and identity of
most of his fossil discoveries.
Anyone looking to learn more
about the basics of fossil hunting should read “Fossiling in Florida, A Guide
for Diggers and Divers,” authored by north Florida amateur paleontologist Mark
Renz, Celli recommends..
“In this book he explains the how’s and where’s to hunt, the hurdles and hazards, and the
laws that regulate the hobby,” he said. “It has more than 250 photographs that
aide in helping identify the bones that distinguish a prehistoric bison from a
modern-day cow.”
According to Celli, some of the
best areas for finding Ice Age bones from what he refers to as the Pleistocene
period, dating back from 2 million years to about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago,
are in the many lakes and rivers across Florida.
“Snorkeling near the bends in
both the Peace River near Fort Meade and Port Charlotte in the middle of the
state is usually good for easy pickings of various interesting fish and reptile
bones, since many are mixed with rock and typically flow downstream,” he said.
“While it can sometimes be muddy, it can be best several days after it rains.
The rainwater carves new deposits from the banks, thus causing many fossils to
land on gravel bars and shallow pebbly areas on the beds of the rivers and
creeks.”ť
Another river he said he enjoys
visiting, the Ocklawaha, near Ocala in Marion County, was the site of one of
his favorite discoveries, a pair of horse jaws he found within a few feet of
each other last year while snorkeling. He said he
considers this to be a rare find as they are typically paper-thin and are
usually not found intact.
Other interesting finds he
considers special are several pieces of bone he acquired from an elephant
butcher site in North Brevard. The area, according to historians, was inhabited
by the Paleo-Indians who targeted the male elephants for a kill with spearheads
nearly 12,000 years ago.
Celli said that though skilled
archeologist and paleontologist may have years of training and knowledge about
what to look for when discovering ancient fossils, it has been the amateurs
that throughout the years have been responsible for many of the rarest finds.
”The only thing you really need
to start the hobby is a love for nature and a good eye,” Celli said.
Ready to dig?
There is a $5 fee required by the
state to collect fossils. It can be obtained by visiting
www.flmnh.ufl.edu/vertpaleo/permitapplication or contacting the Program of
Vertebrate Paleontology at the Florida Museum of Natural History in
Gainesville.
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1. List the
title of the article, the author, where it was published, and the date it was
published.
2. What is a
fossil?
3. What type
of animal is a megalodon?
4. Where can
you take fossils you find for a free identification service?
5. Some of
the best areas for finding fossils come from the Pleistocene Period. When is
that?
6. How can
you get a permit to hunt fossils?