VALENTINE, Neb. - The Niobrara National Scenic River is best known for its natural beauty and recreational opportunities—but below the surface lies a different kind of treasure. The region is also home to fossil sites that paleontologists say are internationally significant.

“Nebraska is one of the richest states in the country as far as fossils go,” said Shane Tucker, a highway paleontologist with the University of Nebraska State Museum.

“Some of the first fossils reported from Nebraska in the Niobrara River Valley go back to 1796,” Tucker said. “Then there were big expeditions in the 1850s, so a lot of different museums from all over the country came here to look for fossils.”

During a recent visit to Valentine, Tucker gave several public presentations and identified fossils brought in by area residents—including remains of a bone-crushing dog.

“It’s kind of like a wolf that we found right below our house on the ground. It was not buried,” said Ken Moreland, who lives near Merriman.

Moreland has made several significant discoveries over the years, including a complete fossilized elephant that now resides in a museum in Japan.

“He had four tusks. He had two up and two down,” Moreland said.

Tucker also shared examples of other fossil finds across the state, including a massive mammoth tooth.

“It’s probably one of the largest land mammals ever to walk the face of the Earth,” Tucker said.

Among the most common fossils found near the Niobrara are those of ancient horses, rhinos, elephants and camels.

“This is actually the skull from a camel that lived 12.5 million years ago,” said Tucker. "We had some camels that were very long-necked, almost looked more like a giraffe.”

Some discoveries are far rarer, including a newly identified species of bear found near Valentine.

“It’s really small. It’s probably around the body size of a wolverine, but it’s a 14 million year old bear,” Tucker said.

If you would like to check out the fossils, similar ones can be seen at the University of Nebraska State Museum in Lincoln.