Fossil Discoveries in the Ica Desert of Peru

[elosha11]

In this thread, I will be detailing some of the amazing fossil discoveries from the Ica deserts of Peru. It is an ancient desert which used to be shallow coastal area in the Miocene and Pliocene. It is a treasure trove for finding ancient cetacean, shark, and bird fossil remains.

Many of the discoveries are being spearheaded by Klauss Honninger Mitrani, and you will see his name mentioned in many of the articles and see him in the associated pictures. Honninger is currently battling the Peruvian government to stop the annual Dakar race rally through the Ica desert. Unfortunately, the annual race is destroying many priceless fossils and corrupting an otherwise pristine desert environment. The articles also discuss the Dakar race and show some pictures of damaged fossils.

[elosha11]

Here's the first article link, which discusses Honninger's discovery of a 35 million year old fossil bird, which appears to have been an ancient pelican like creature. Amazingly, some of the fossil skin is still preserved in exquisite detail.

www.dca.gob.gt/index.php/diversidad/item/14382-hallan-en-per%C3%BA-f%C3%B3sil-de-ave-gigante-que-vivi%C3%B3-hace-35-millones-de-a%C3%B1os.html.

The article, and the others I will be posting is in Spanish, so I've taken the liberty to use Google Translate for a rough English translation.

Hallan en Perú fósil de ave gigante que vivió hace 35 millones de años

Peruvian paleontologists discovered the Ica region (south) the fossilized remains of a large bird with skin remains dating back 35 million years, told AFP one of the specialists.

"We have found the fossilized remains of a giant bird about 35 million years ago in the desert of Ica" he told AFP Honninger Klaus, who led an expedition that reached the site of the discovery.

Honninger said the bird remains 1.8 meters high could belong to a giant pelican who lived during the Oligocene Period, which began about 40 million years ago and ended 23 million years ago.

"The fossil clearly preserves the remains of skin, is a sensational find because there is no documentation whatsoever of anything similar anywhere in the world," said the scholar.

The discovery was made on March 6 in the coastal desert of Ica, where lies a graveyard of whales, sharks and penguins fossilized.

In January 2013 the Dakar rally desert toured the area, causing great distress among Peruvian scientists for damages caused to the fossilized remains in the race of 2012.

Hönniger Meyer Museum, brings together foreign and Peruvian paleontologists have documented in the desert of Ica fossils of whales, dolphins, sharks and other large marine life traces.

Here's the picture of the fossilized bird bone and skin.



I'll shortly post some other links that discuss, in Spanish, the pelican and other fossil findings.

[elosha11]

Here's another, even more comprehensive article, with a number of incredible fossil pictures. Again, I've translated the Spanish article from this link:

www.rumbosdelperu.com/en-ica-hallan-fosil-de-un-ave-parecido-a-un-pelicano-de-35-millones-de-anos-V496.html#.UUfGk6WkVjg.facebook

In Ica found fossil of a bird like a pelican of 35 million years

Photos: Klaus Honninger



The discovery of a giant bird with skin attached to the bones is the only reported on the story. This dazzling event joins the thousands of remains found in the desert of Ica.

According to information published by Klaus Honninger, director of the Paleontological Museum Association Honninger Meyer in his facebook account, along with his team of paleontologists have discovered in the desert of Ica, the fossilized remains of a giant bird, including petrified fragments your skin. This is a specimen, according to experts, would have about 35 million years old.



The leading researcher, said that it was not possible to define exactly what is winged animal, but his team assumed that a species could be similar to a giant pelican who lived during the late Eocene and early Oligocene period, which ended past 23 million years.

It is estimated that the bird would be around metro Originally 80 centimeters tall, with a length further enhanced with its wings spread. However the most important of this finding, as recounted Honninger himself, are the remains of skin with bones and feathers print.

The fossil clearly preserves the remains of skin, which is a sensational find because there is no documentation whatsoever of anything like anywhere in the world. Since China had found fossil remains of birds with feathers, skin debris but no one has any record anywhere in the world, until now.

Is that Honninger Klaus, in his 20 years of work in the deserts of Ica, says that the area is one of the fossil marine vertebrates in the world. Estimated that there are over a thousand skeletons scattered throughout the desert. Found remains of whales, sharks and even penguins in a fossil state, but never before with these special features.

From the month of January has been living a serious controversy in the area, due to the Dakar Rally, which it passes this desert area, caused serious damage in the fossilized remains of the area, which resulted in the rejection and protest Peruvian and international scientific community, no concern for the Peruvian authorities, especially the Ministry of Culture to this high value area for study.

Also, the current legislation makes inadequate and in some cases prevents the study and exhibition of rescue fossils that are being destroyed by the action of erosion and competitions like the Dakar rally. In that sense, the researcher asks Klaus Honninger fossils are declared as Natural Heritage, and become regulated by the Directorate of Biodiversity, Ministry of Environment, which can be supported by research institutions in the development of this science in the country .

[elosha11]

This article is in English and shows a picture of the pelican like bird's beak fossilized teeth, which appear to have teeth-like segments like other ancient fossilized birds. The artistic drawing alongside it is also very nice.

www.naharnet.com/stories/en/75882-remains-of-fossilized-giant-pelican-found-in-peru

Remains of fossilized 'giant pelican' found in Peru



The fossilized remains of a giant pelican-like bird dating back some 35 million years have been uncovered in Peru's Ica desert, paleontologists said Friday.

Klaus Honninger, who heads the team that made the find, said the bird resembled a giant pelican that stood more than two meters (6.6 feet) tall dating from the Oligocene epoch.

The Oligocene, part of the Paleogene Period, spanned from 40 million years to 23 million years before present day, and was marked by the extinction of numerous species, a general cooling and increased aridity.

"The fossil clearly retains remnants of skin. It is an extraordinary discovery because no similar specimen has been discovered anywhere else in the world before," Honninger said.

The discovery was made in the coastal desert of the Ica region on March 6. The site is popular among paleontologists for its abundance of whale, shark and penguin fossils.

[elosha11]

Finally, here are some pictures of fossils heavily damaged by the Dakar races in January 2013.





From my personal conversations with Klaus Honninger, he has told me this is the remains of a destroyed fossil centra of an almost 21 foot (7 meter) Isurus hastalis. This ancient extinct mako shark remains included a complete ventral centra and fossilized head and teeth. The shark is probably closely related to prehistoric and modern great white sharks. The Dakar race has heavily damaged this and many other fossil remains.

Here's another amazing picture of an ancient cetecean finding.