The worker was searching for a drainpipe when he came across one of the mastodon's molars. The site engineer contacted Professor Stearley, who was given permission to dig up the remains. The church agreed to put the driveway construction on hold until November. The bones have been given to Calvin College on permanent loan from Ada Bible Church, with possible plans of a display and use as a learning tool for future science classes. The mastodon found this summer is said to be a male that died in its late thirties or early forties.
Mastodons are the shorter cousins of the woolly mammoth, with which they are often confused.
The process of excavating the mastodon included several steps. First, the excavation team dug to find the bones using Popsicle sticks and small wooden tools. Then they photographed the bones to document their findings. After that, the bones are scrubbed with a toothbrush and washed with water to clean away the debris. Next, the bones were placed in a solution of Elmers glue and water to harden and left to soak for a couple of hours to a full day, depending on the size of the bone.