Animal Fossils

By far, the most popular of all animal fossils includes the dinosaur; however, dinosaur fossils represent only the smallest fraction of recorded fossils to date. Scientists speculate that most dinosaurs simply died and decayed, and were never fossilized. Fossilized plants and other animals are the fossils most widely studied by paleontologists.

Scientists study fossils for a number of reasons, including these: to learn more about plants and animals that are now extinct; to discover the reasons for extinction; and to piece together a timeline of which animals lived when, and determine where humans fit into the overall picture. Animal fossils include the Saber-toothed cat, birds, rodents, other animals and dinosaurs.

The Value of Animal Fossils

Fossils are our only record of prehistoric plants and animals. Since humans did not yet exist, and since early humans left no written record of their beginnings, we must rely on the only clues we have to this ancient world. Preserved in rock and stone, these fossils tell a tale that only scientists seem able to uncover through careful research and piecing together tiny bits of information like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

By uncovering clues about prehistoric animals, paleontologists can begin to determine reasons for extinction, which may in turn prevent extinction of our existing plants and animals. Each year, new animals are added to the endangered species list, and studying the past may help us to avoid repeating past mistakes. Studying fossils can also teach scientists about adaptation, and how and why certain animals change form and features in order to survive, while others simply become extinct.