75-Million-Year-Old Mammal Fossil Unearthed in Colorado

The discovery of Heleocola piceanus sheds light on mammalian life during the dinosaur era in a once marshy Colorado.

Paleontologists from the University of Colorado discovered the fossil near Rangely after 15 years of excavation.
The mammal, named Heleocola piceanus, lived alongside dinosaurs and weighed up to two pounds.
Researchers identified the species from a jawbone and teeth, suggesting an omnivorous diet primarily of plants.
The fossil site was once an inland sea surrounded by marshes, similar to modern-day Louisiana.
The discovery adds to the understanding of mammalian evolution during the Late Cretaceous period.