Archive video: Mammoth fossil found in Moorpark

 
March 2005: Excavators uncover the nearly complete skeletal remains of a mammoth in Moorpark.
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A group of California Lutheran University multimedia students is preserving a piece of Moorpark history with a project chronicling the discovery of an ancient mammoth in the city.

For the past six months, the students have created components of the project, which includes an interactive DVD and Web site to educate students and the public about the discovery of the mammoth.

The students presented their project Wednesday to the Moorpark City Council.

The nearly complete, fully fossilized skeleton of the ancient Southern Mammoth was discovered in 2005 by developer William Lyons Homes Inc. during preliminary grading operations for a residential development.

In 2007, the council elected to donate the entire fossil collection to the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and approved $15,000 in its operating budget for the mammoth multimedia education project.

The project will be the primary tool for the delivery of the mammoth story to public schools and libraries in the region.

Under the guidance of Tim Hengst, director of CLU's Multimedia Department, the five students — John Atkinson of Newbury Park, Josh Banday of Los Angeles, Bret Bays and Chris Meierding of Ventura, and Joey Lang of Simi Valley — worked on the project with the Orange County-based science education company Amuseum.

The project will feature games, activities and information presented with three-dimensional animation and video clips. Interactive activities include a lab simulation called "Grandma M, What Big Feet You Have," which challenges students to determine the size of a mammoth based on the circumference of its foot.

The project will also include a gallery of photos taken during the excavation, preservation processes and a fictional account of the mammoth's life written by Amuseum President Curt Abdouch.

A table-top exhibit has already been used at fairs and festivals.

The Web site has been purchased, but a few details need to be finalized before it can be placed online, said Hengst. A workbook is still being completed.

A 20-page book called "The Mammoth of Moorpark: Big M" was completed in 2006.

Teachers from CLU's School of Education have given input on different components of the project to make sure they meet state requirements. The project will incorporate math, biology, geology, geography, art and debate skills.

"We think it will be an exciting and effective tool for city officials as they go out and publicize the Moorpark mammoth," said Hengst.

Atkinson said he thought the project was exciting because of its historical significance.

Hugh Riley, assistant city manager of Moorpark, said the students have put many hours into the project.

"I think it's something everyone is going to be proud of once it is out on the market," Riley said.