National Park Service cave paleontology: 2002-2023

A groundbreaking inventory of paleontological resources within Carlsbad Caverns National Park, part of the National Park Service (NPS), has uncovered significant Permian fossils embedded in cavern bedrock and bones of Quaternary megafauna. This study builds on a 2001 NPS report by expanding documentation across multiple parks, including notable discoveries such as mummified Pleistocene–Holocene bats in Grand Canyon NP and an American cheetah skull from Rampart Cave. The research also highlights the use of photogrammetry to study in situ specimens, addressing challenges posed by cave environments. Additionally, it reassesses Quaternary fossils, particularly avifauna, and documents extinct or locally extirpated taxa, contributing to a broader understanding of paleontological resources across NPS units.

Santucci, V., Hodnett, J.-P., Seiser, P., Tweet, J., & Wood, J. “. (2025). National Park Service cave paleontology: 2002-2023. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, 87(4), 108–116. https://doi.org/10.4311/2024pa0119