Monkey Jungle, a southwest Miami zoological park founded in 1935, is not only home to various monkey species but also a site of major archaeological interest.
Beneath the surface lie solution sinkholes, where fossils dating back more than 10,000 years have been discovered. In 1994, archaeologist Robert S. Carr made the first major find at the site, and he has returned several times since to continue exploring its potential.
Recently, Carr and a team of researchers returned to Monkey Jungle to dig even deeper, this time using a technique called coring. Coring involves drilling into the ground to extract long, narrow samples of earth that can reveal fossils and signs of past natural environments. The team is looking for clues about what the habitat once looked like and which animals lived there in ancient South Florida.
“This is an oasis in the middle of agricultural land,” Carr said. “It’s important because it’s accessible not just for scholars, but for the public to experience what life was like so long ago through the fossils and animals that lived here.”
While the latest findings are still being uncovered, researchers are hopeful. There is strong anticipation for a wide range of diverse discoveries that could deepen our understanding of South Florida’s prehistoric life.
