In 1994, two visitors hiking through the Badlands noticed bones weathering from the ground and uncovered an ancient watering hole filled with fossils

The discovery was made in the summer of 1994, when two hikers stumbled upon the weathered-out vertebral column and limb bones in the Conata Picnic Area in Badlands National Park. From the first inspection, it seemed that the remains were just another case of exposed fossils resulting from erosion – something not uncommon for the Badlands.

However, as scientists conducted further investigations, they realized that the place was something much bigger and more significant than that. The uncovered bones were only a small part of the site now called the Big Pig Dig, which is one of the most interesting fossil sites preserved in the Badlands, representing an ancient watering hole of sorts.


The aspect that makes this story so fascinating is that the discovery had been made in such an unusual way. These explorers were not conducting a geological study or searching for fossils. Instead, as reported by the National Park Service, it turned out to be an accidental discovery when Steve Gasman and Jim Carney discovered fossils appearing naturally due to the process of erosion of the land. This point is relevant because the Badlands have a unique geological characteristic that sets it apart from other fossil beds located deep below the surface.

The exposed bones revealed a prehistoric watering hole rather than random fossils

As the excavation was underway, researchers found that the area contained not only isolated animal fossils but also other features indicating the presence of an ancient watering place for animals that lived many years ago. In accordance with the description provided by the National Park Service, the Big Pig Dig is the remnants of a pond or lakebed habitat where animals used to gather at the time when water was scarce, and then some of them got trapped there or died nearby due to the muddy edges. It is essential to consider the fact that the above-mentioned description reveals the behavior of prehistoric animals within their ecosystem.

Rather than protecting a single species individually, the watering hole habitat brought many different types of animals into the same area. Through the analysis of bone alignment and sediment deposition, researchers were able to not only identify which animals lived in that location but also their interaction within that environment. The geologic history of the Badlands provides some insight as to why this could occur. As stated by the United States Geological Survey, constant erosion at the Badlands exposes sedimentary layers containing fossils from thousands of years ago. This process implies that the Badlands are not a static environment, but one that continues to reveal its secrets through geological forces.

The discovery eventually produced thousands of fossils over many years

What started out as only a couple of visible bones turned into an extensive digging project over time. As reported by the National Park Service – Park Paleo, more than 19,000 fossils have been unearthed in the Big Pig Dig over 15 field seasons, turning what would have otherwise been just a find into an important paleontological undertaking for the park. This makes the significance of the original find much different than it was when first found. The visible vertebrae were not random bones lying about on the surface of the earth; rather, they represented a much bigger picture.

The site is also notable for its accessibility. While many of the important excavations of fossils take place in locations that are off limits to the general public, the Big Pig Dig was born out of a project that began with public involvement. This link makes the story especially interesting to read.

In fact, an ordinary observation at an ordinary park outing helped change scientific views about part of the fossil history of the Badlands. What makes the story intriguing is the contrast between those events. Two individuals walking near a picnic area spotted bones poking out of the soil and came across information proving the existence of a long-gone watering hole.

The bones were gradually unearthed due to erosion. What caught the eye of visitors was only one part of the ecosystem that once existed under the Badlands.