La Brea trivia
Related Trivia
La Brea Mini Quiz
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
Question 1
Natural trap La Brea preserves ancient animal bones using what sticky substance instead of actual tar?
Despite the name, the La Brea Tar Pits contain natural asphalt, not tar, which is a byproduct of heating coal or wood.
Question 2
Fossil site La Brea contains mostly carnivore bones because the sticky pools created what deadly situation?
The La Brea Tar Pits acted as a 'predator trap,' where a single trapped herbivore would attract a pack of dire wolves or saber-toothed cats that would also get stuck.
Question 3
Ancient La Brea fossils get their iconic dark brown color from what specific environmental process?
Fossils extracted from La Brea are distinctively dark brown or black because the asphalt they rested in seeped into the porous bones over thousands of years.
Question 4
The La Brea Tar Pits famously lack dinosaur fossils because the sticky pools formed during what era?
Many visitors expect to see dinosaurs at La Brea, but the asphalt seeps only formed around 50,000 years ago, over 65 million years after dinosaurs went extinct.