Pleistocene mammals of the Edmonton area, Alberta. Part I. The carnivores

Abstract

Late Pleistocene fossils have been recovered sporadically in the Edmonton area, in central Alberta, for many years but there has been little work in determining their age. Fossils from quarries in North Saskatchewan River terraces and buried valley gravels are recognized as Late Pleistocene (mid-Wisconsinan) and early Holocene taxa, and numerous 14C dates on mammalian remains now support the assessment. The mammalian fauna consists of at least 16 taxa, including mostly grazing herbivores, but also three carnivores: Canis cf. Canis lupus (gray wolf), Arctodus simus (giant short-faced bear), and Panthera leo atrox (Pleistocene lion). The carnivores are first records for the region, and Arctodus is a first record for Alberta.