JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – East Tennessee State University will use a $324,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to support further excavations and research at the Gray Fossil Site for the next three years.
Fossils were discovered at the site in 2000 by state highway workers. After excavation, the site earned distinction as being home to the most tapirs at any single fossil location. Some 85 tapirs have been recovered so far with just 1 percent of the site excavated.
In addition to the world’s largest find of tapirs, the collection also includes a saber-toothed cat, short-faced bear, fish, ground sloth, rhino, camel, shovel-tusked elephant, horse, red panda, bird, alligator, an Eurasian badger and a beaver.