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33-488: The cave is located northeast of Lovell, Wyoming , at an elevation of 4,560 feet (1,390 m). It is a bell-shaped pit or sinkhole within the Madison Limestone , 85 feet (26 m) deep, with an opening 12 feet (3.7 m) by 15 feet (4.6 m) at the top, and a diameter of around 120 feet (37 m) at the bottom. The first investigation of its animal remains was initiated in 1970 by Lawrence Loendorf of

66-1153: A public library , a branch of the Big Horn County Library System. Radion station KWHO (107.1 FM) is licensed to Lovell. Television stations airing in Lovell include KTVQ ( CBS ), KULR , ( NBC ), and KCWC-DT ( PBS , local translator K19LM-D ). The town was the center of a scandal in the 1980s when Dr. John Story was discovered to be sexually abusing patients. He was convicted on six separate charges of sexually assaulting his patients in 1985. Pack rat Neotoma albigula Neotoma angustapalata Neotoma chrysomelas Neotoma cinerea Neotoma devia † Neotoma findleyi Neotoma floridana Neotoma fuscipes Neotoma goldmani Neotoma insularis Neotoma lepida Neotoma leucodon Neotoma macrotis Neotoma magister Neotoma melanura Neotoma mexicana Neotoma micropus Neotoma nelsoni Neotoma palatina Neotoma phenax Neotoma stephensi A pack rat or packrat , also called

99-819: A woodrat or trade rat , are any species in the North and Central American rodent genus Neotoma . Pack rats have a rat-like appearance, with long tails, large ears, and large, black eyes. Pack rats are noticeably larger than deer mice , harvest mice , and grasshopper mice , and are usually somewhat larger than cotton rats . Neotoma includes three subgenera, Daggers (†) mark extinct species: Packrats typically have wide eyes accompanied with long whiskers. They have large ears that extend outwards. In terms of size, they resemble Norway rats. They grow to be approximately 30 cm long, with their tails making up about 50% of their size. Long-haired pack rats specifically have tails that are adequately furry and are physically compared to

132-425: A 10 x 10-foot wide pit at the bottom of the entrance drop, southwest of the pit excavated in 1971. The pit was dug to a depth of six feet. Late Pleistocene to recent bones from 20 species of mammals and five bird species were recovered, including a dire wolf, ancient horse, and mammoth. Ms. Rushin's Master's thesis "Interpretive and Paleontologic Values of Natural Trap Cave, BigHorn Mountains, Wyoming" (1973) addressed

165-588: A bushy, almost squirrel-like tail. Bushy-tailed woodrats Neotoma cinerea occupy a range of habitats from boreal woodlands to deserts. They are cliff-dwellers and are often found on isolated, high-elevation exposed boulder areas under a variety of temperature and moisture conditions. They require adequate shelter among the rocks, though they are occasionally found inhabiting abandoned buildings as well. Pack rats are nest builders. They use plant material such as twigs, sticks, and other available debris. They are particularly fond of shiny objects. A peculiar characteristic

198-1055: A large geographic range, and its body size is closely correlated with climate. Average males range in size from 310 to 470 mm (12 to 19 in), with the average being 379 mm (14.9 in), and average females range from 272 to 410 mm (10.7 to 16.1 in), with the average being 356 mm (14.0 in). Reproductive habits of rodents are variable in the wild. Offspring are born naked and helpless and must be cared for in nests called middens. Some female pack rats have been known to deliver up to five litters per year with each litter having as many as five young. The offspring may open their eyes between 10 and 12 days after being born and are usually weaned between 14 and 42 days. After around 60 days, most become sexually mature. Populations may cycle approximately every 8 years due to variation in reproduction and juvenile survival. Female annual survival rates vary by age from 0.42 for juveniles to 0.71 for 1–2 year olds, and very few females (less than 5%) live beyond 3 years of age. A pack rat midden

231-479: A material known as amberat, which under some conditions can cement the midden together, and can encase plant fragments, pellets and other debris in an amber -like matrix . The resilience of the middens is aided by three factors. The crystallized urine dramatically slows the decay of the materials in the midden; the dry climate of the American Southwest further slows the decay; and middens protected from

264-419: A nuisance. Bushy-tailed woodrats feed primarily on green vegetation, twigs, and shoots. Mexican woodrats eat seeds, fruits, acorns, and cactus. The pack rat microbiome has symbiotic roles in digestion , recycling endogenous nitrogen , and the detoxification of dietary toxins. The bacterial composition of the pack rat’s gut microbiome is affected by what it eats, and by association, the geography of where

297-426: A variety of techniques to analyze the plant and animal material in pack rat middens describe paleo-communities and infer paleo-climate. For example, the plant species present in middens, and the carbon isotope ratios on material in middens have been widely studied. The analysis of middens was key in understanding the biota around Pueblo Bonito , thus helping to explain its history. One form of midden analysis examined

330-411: Is a debris pile constructed by a woodrat. A midden may preserve the materials incorporated into it for up to 50,000 years. These midden piles may be analyzed to reconstruct their original environment, and comparisons between middens allow a record of vegetative and climate change to be built. Examinations and comparisons of pack rat middens have largely supplanted pollen records as a method of study in

363-646: 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

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396-400: Is that if they find something they want, they will drop what they are currently carrying—for example, a piece of cactus—and "trade" it for the new item. They can also be quite vocal and boisterous. Entering and inhabiting human spaces like attics or car engines, stealing their treasures from humans, damaging electrical wiring, and creating general noisy havoc. This can easily cause them to become

429-652: Is the largest town in Big Horn County , Wyoming , United States. The population was 2,243 at the 2020 census . Lovell was named for Henry Lovell, a local rancher. Built in 1925, the EJZ Bridge over Shoshone River is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Lovell is located at 44°50′12″N 108°23′32″W  /  44.83667°N 108.39222°W  / 44.83667; -108.39222 (44.836787, -108.392180). According to

462-650: The Sonoran Desert , and in the forest and rocky habitats of the western United States and western Canada. Each species of pack rat is generally restricted to a given type of habitat within its range. Pack rats live anywhere from low, hot, dry deserts to cold, rocky slopes above timberline. Pack rats build complex houses or dens made of twigs, cactus joints, and other materials. These contain several nest chambers, food caches, and debris piles. Dens are often built in small caves or rocky crevices, but when close by human habitations, woodrats will opportunistically move into

495-589: The United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 1.10 square miles (2.85 km ), all land. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Lovell has a cold desert climate , abbreviated BWk on climate maps, although it borders a cold semi-arid climate ( BSk ). The hottest temperature recorded in Lovell was 111 °F (43.9 °C) on June 29, 1919, while the coldest temperature recorded

528-555: The University of Missouri , who initially collected some fossils, and began an excavation in 1971. Besides bones, one Native American red jasper knife was found below the entrance drop and a wooden artifact, possibly an atlatl shaft, was discovered in a rat's nest below some talus. In 1972, Carol Jo Rushin (University of Montana) with a grant from the National Speleological Society and a four-person team and logistical support provided by Dr. Loendorf, excavated

561-891: The American cheetah are particularly abundant in the cave. The entrance to the pit was covered with a safety grill by 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 10 °C (50 °F) and has 98% humidity which

594-519: The animal is from. However, while the bacterial composition of the pack rat microbiome is influenced by diet and geography, it is the animals’ genetics that has the most influential role on bacterial composition. Adult bushy-tailed woodrat males usually weigh 300–600 g (11–21 oz), with an average of 405 g (14.3 oz), and adult females usually weigh 250–350 g (8.8–12.3 oz), with an average of 270 g (9.5 oz). These ranges are relatively large because this species occupies

627-436: The attics and walls of houses. Some Neotoma species, such as the white-throated woodrat ( N. albigula ), use the bases of prickly pear or cholla cactus as the sites for their homes, using the cactus' spines for protection from predators. Others, like the desert woodrat ( N. lepida ) will build dens around the base of a yucca or cactus, such as jumping and teddy-bear chollas . The largest species, Neotoma cinerea, has

660-403: The average family size was 3.14. 29.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males. The median household income was $ 30,745 and the median family income

693-522: The bottom of the pit. Small mammals whose remains have been found in the cave include pikas , jackrabbits , cottontail rabbits , marmots , chipmunks , Peromyscus mice, woodrats , Microtus voles, and collared lemmings . Larger mammals represented in the cave include Canis species, red foxes , short-faced bears , weasels , martens , wolverines , American cheetahs , American lions , Equus species, Camelops , deer , antilocaprids , bison , bighorn sheep , and mammoths . Remains of

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726-544: 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. 44°58′24″N 108°11′35″W  /  44.97333°N 108.19306°W  / 44.97333; -108.19306 Lovell, Wyoming Lovell

759-489: The elements under rock overhangs or in caves survive longer. Zoologists examine the remains of animals in middens to get a sense of the fauna in the neighborhood of the midden, while paleobotanists can reconstruct the vegetation that grew nearby. Middens are considered reliable "time capsules" of natural life, centuries and millennia after they occurred. Woodrat middens are composed of many things, including plants, macrofossils, and fecal pellets. Paleo-ecologists have used

792-652: The interpretive, anthropologic, paleontologic, and geologic aspects of the cave. A short article regarding this research also appeared in the December, 1972 issue of the National Speleological Society News. Further excavations were conducted throughout the 1970s by the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas . Remains of animals which have fallen into the sinkhole since the last ice age lie over 10 metres (33 ft) deep at

825-402: The population. There were 896 households, of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and

858-440: The population. There were 909 households, of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.4% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

891-444: The regions where they are available. In the absence of rock crevices or caves, the dens are often built under trees or bushes. The pack rats will also use plant fragments, animal dung, and small rocks in building the den. The vast majority of the materials will be from a radius of several dozen yards of the nest. Woodrats often urinate on the debris piles; sugar and other substances in the urine crystallize as it dries out, creating

924-401: The size of fecal pellets in pack rat middens. The size of woodrat pellet is proportional to the size of the woodrat. By measuring the pellets, the approximate size of the woodrat was determined based on data from a study of field-trapped woodrats. From Bergmann’s rule, differences in climate then can be determined. According to Bergmann’s rule , the body size of vertebrates is closely related to

957-438: The tails of short-haired squirrels. In general, packrats' backs are notably a hybrid hue of brown and grey, but their underbelly tends to be a lighter shade. Woodrats reach their greatest diversity in the deserts of the western United States and northern Mexico. Several species are also found in the deciduous forest of the east coast, juniper woodlands in the southwest, oak woodlands along the coastal western United States and in

990-417: The town. The population density was 2,141.6 per square mile (823.1/km ). There were 1,013 housing units at an average density of 951.1 per square mile (365.5/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 90.93% White , 0.04% African American , 0.70% Native American , 0.18% Asian , 0.13% Pacific Islander , 5.66% from other races , and 2.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.16% of

1023-515: Was $ 35,815. Males had a median income of $ 30,698 compared with $ 20,313 for females. The per capita income was $ 13,772. About 11.0% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over. Public education in the town of Lovell is provided by Big Horn County School District #2 . Lovell is home to Lovell Elementary School (grades K-5), Lovell Middle School (grades 6–8), and Lovell High School (grades 9-12). Lovell has

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1056-411: Was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.13. The median age was 36 years. 27.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.6% were from 25 to 44; 23.4% were from 45 to 64; and 19.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.4% male and 51.6% female. At the 2000 census , there were 2,281 people, 896 households and 613 families living in

1089-543: Was −48 °F (−44.4 °C) on February 5, 1899. At the 2010 census , there were 2,360 people, 909 households and 605 families living in the town. The population density was 2,145.5 inhabitants per square mile (828.4/km ). There were 1,013 housing units at an average density of 920.9 per square mile (355.6/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 94.0% White , 0.3% African American , 0.6% Native American , 0.6% Asian , 3.5% from other races , and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.8% of

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