![]() NPS photo Although the butt of many jokes, coprolites can be very helpful expanding our understanding of Fossil Lake. Initially, scientists thought the fishes lived in tributary streams and their bodies floated into the lake after death. Coprolites show that is incorrect. If they were pooping in the stream, the flowing water would break the delicate coprolites apart before they made it to the lake. To preserve delicate feces, the fishes had to be living in the calm waters of the lake when they pooped. It is not possible to determine which animal left behind which poop, although we can make some guesses. With the abundance of fishes in the lake, we can assume the stringy coprolites that resemble modern fish poo came from fishes. Sometimes poops contain bones and teeth which can be used to identify the prey, though the predator’s identity remains a mystery. We can narrow down the pooping culprit by size, for example, an 8-inch-long coprolite likely came from a crocodilian or turtle and not a 5-inch Knightia eocaena. ![]() NPS photo See hundreds of coprolites during your visit to the park in the most appropriate location: the restrooms. Before your visit, preview our museum exhibits. |
Last updated: January 31, 2024