the Bureau of Land Management for almost thirty years. In July–August 2014, a team of scientists of Des Moines University, led by Julie Meachen, a paleontologist specialising in Pleistocene megafauna, explored the hole over a period of two weeks. This was the first of three annual digs planned from 2014 to 2016. The team excavated 200 large bones of large animals which included American cheetah, bison, horses and gray wolf, as well as, innumerable microfossils of birds and reptiles. The cave remains at temperatures below and has 98% humidity which is conducive for the preservation of viable genetic material for analysis. The team has extracted samples which will be analysed by the Australian Centre for Ancient DNA at the University of Adelaide for fragments of mitochondrial DNA. Scientists expect to find information pertaining to causes of the Quaternary extinction event, such as climate change and the advent of prehistoric man around 17,000 years ago. New insights are being sought as regards the ecology, diet and genetic diversity of megafauna that became extinct more than 10,000 years ago. During the excavation, a pack rat fell into the pit and died. Affectionately termed as the expedition mascot "Packy Le Pew", the pack rat has become an experiment in taphonomy, in that its body has been allowed to lie undisturbed so as to study natural patterns and rates of decay. References External links Web pages : National Park Service page on Natural Trap Cave Videos : BBC World News Video of 8 Aug 2014 titled "Dig this ANCIENT BONES FOUND in Wyoming CAVE BREAKING NEWS 2014". Australian Centre for Ancient DNA Video of 5 August 2014 titled "Insights from Natural Trap Cave" featuring Professor Alan Cooper of the University of Adelaide who discusses fossil finds from the Natural Trap Cave in Wyoming. Newsy Science Video of 9 August 2014 titled "Remains Of Ancient Horses, Lions, Found In Wyo. Cave". Caves of Wyoming Landforms of Big Horn County, Wyoming Paleontology in Wyoming Pleistocene United States Quaternary Wyoming Pleistocene paleontological sites of North America Protected areas of Big Horn County, Wyoming Bureau of Land Management areas in Wyoming