La Brea Tar Pits

paleontology · fossils · Los Angeles · ancient animals

Saber-toothed cats trapped. Fierce predators called saber-toothed cats, which had enormous curved fangs, got stuck in the tar while hunting other animals. Scientists have found thousands of their bones preserved in the tar pits.

Natural asphalt bubbles up. Hot, sticky tar naturally seeps up from deep underground at La Brea, and it has been doing this for tens of thousands of years. The tar acts like nature's time capsule, preserving animal bones in perfect condition.

Ice Age animals preserved. Mammoths, giant ground sloths, camels, and other animals that roamed Los Angeles during the Ice Age died in the tar and got stuck there. Their bones tell us what creatures lived in California long ago.

Museum full of fossils. The George C. Page Museum sits right in Hancock Park and displays thousands of fossils that scientists have dug up from the tar pits. You can visit and see the actual bones of ancient animals.

Scientists still digging. La Brea is still an active research site, meaning paleontologists continue to dig there and discover new fossils today. Every discovery teaches us more about prehistoric life in California.