The Elbolton Pot bear – a further Late Glacial bear occurrence in the southeastern Yorkshire Dales

A radiocarbon date obtained from a partial, juvenile, bear skeleton recovered by cavers confirms that bears were both present and breeding in the Wharfedale area during the Late Glacial/Windermere Interstadial. This study highlights the importance of curating bone finds made by sporting cavers, because they have great potential to contribute to palaeontological, archaeological and palaeoenvironmental studies.