SECOND MAMMOTH FIND NEAR MOORPARK.

Byline: Angie Valencia-Martinez Staff Writer

MOORPARK - The apparent remains of an ancient mammoth have been found a couple miles from the site where the nearly complete skeleton of a mammoth was discovered last spring, officials said Wednesday.

Workers at the 540-home Moorpark Highlands development last week unearthed what appears to be a mammoth's tusk, and paleontologists were examining the find, officials said. In late March, a fossilized mammoth was discovered near the 250-home Meridian Hills project.

``We're rapidly becoming the mammoth capital of the country,'' City Councilman Keith Millhouse said. ``I was surprised - the timing with the other find and this one coming on the heels of that.

``It tells you that there's quite a lot of archaelogical history out there and you have to take that in consideration when planning a community.''

Officials with Pardee Homes, which is developing the Highlands, refused to comment.

Paleontologist E. Bruce Lander, who examined the first discovery, said he had not heard about the latest discovery, but that it represents a potentially unique find.

``There are just a handful of specimens known in that area now,'' he said.

Assistant City Manager Hugh Riley said officials are awaiting word on the significance of the discovery.

``All we know is they found an additional fossil or fossils,'' he said. ``Now our first mammoth may not have been alone.''