Vertebrate fossils that have been found in Yellowstone National Park include turtles, fish, a plesiosaur, dinosaur bone fragments and egg shells and a possible horse (Equus nebraskensis) from the Pleistocene Epoch. The Lamar Cave contains 36 different species of mammals. Among more recent fossils found in Yellowstone are different species of bison (Bison occidentalis, Bison bison antiquus and Bison bison bison). Fossils also show that elk (wapiti) have lived in the Yellowstone region for at least 1,000 years, and the wolf (Canis lupus) has been a part of the ecosystem for thousands of years.
For more information about Yellowstone paleontology, please visit Vince Santucci's excellent web site on the Yellowstone Paleontological Survey.
Also, Windows Into the Earth: The Geologic Story of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks by Robert B. Smith and Lee J. Siegel, Oxford University Press, 2000 is an excellent book. (Alas, very little paleontological information!)
Be sure to visit my web site for more links to National and State Parks Featuring Paleontology
Consider becoming a Friend of Yellowstone through the Yellowstone Park Foundation. The mission of the Foundation is to "protect, preserve, and enhance" Yellowstone National Park by raising money to fund important projects that are beyond the financial capacity of the National Park Service. Donations to the foundation help to enhance wildlife and fisheries, repair trails and backcountry cabins, fund research projects, provide public information and education, and to acquire and conserve antiques and collectibles important to park history.
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