NikonGear'23
Travelogues => Travel Diaries => Topic started by: elsa hoffmann on January 31, 2016, 08:21:33
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I did a West Coast Tour yesterday and visited the most interesting place! THE WEST COAST FOSSIL PARK
Fossils of bears, Sable-tooth cats, short necked giraffes, and many other exotic animals which inhabited the West Coast more than 5 million years ago can be seen here.
A national and international team of researchers are currently unraveling the fascinating and unique history of fossils from the West Coast Fossil Park and attempting to recreate the environment and climate of the west coast some 5 million years ago. At this time many animals that are now extinct, such as saber-toothed cats, short-necked giraffes, hunting hyenas and African bears roamed the west coast which then had a more subtropical climate with lush, riverine forests and open grasslands.
The deeply buried fossil deposits were uncovered during phosphate mining in the Langebaanweg area. The mining started in 1943, initially at Baard’s Quarry on Langeberg Farm, close to where the airforce training base is today. Here solid phosphate rock was mined for fertilizer and it is thought that many tons of fossils were crushed up along with the rock before scientists were made aware of their existence.
The phosphates come from the Varswater Formation. In the early 1960’s, the mining moved from Baard’s Quarry to the nearby Varswater ”C” and ‘E’ Quarries. Mining ceased altogether in 1993 when Samancor made a decision to close down their Chemfos operations at Langebaanweg as it was no longer economically viable. A huge amount of effort and money is being spent on the Fossil Park - currently a lecture centre and museum is being build and should be ready by mid 2016.
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What a fascinating place. There must be many years of research ahead.
It puts our species and its brief tenure in context.
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Thank you Anthony - its a relatively new site - and locals are employed to do the initial sifting - you should see how they sort out frogs legs! unbelievable. and yes - this will take decades.
We also saw two old men (tortoise) and buffalo and one red thing (all along the way at places we visited) oh and a camel :) very friendly chappie
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I love your wide angle close ups Elsa.
They always put a smile on my face :)
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That stuff is all so interesting. Thank you for sharing. In the middle of Los Angeles, there is a similar site that's been excavated for decades and will continue, probably for more decades. The La Brea Tar Pits. Just fascinating.
The camel is priceless. :)
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Than you Jakov - its fun doing it but maybe getting a bit old now - but I am boring - so I stick to old habits
Thank you Gary - Looked at your link. What gets me is that Sabre Tooth Cat - imagine playing with such a thing in your back yard.
I cant imagine digging around the same site for a week - never mind a generation.
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Apparengly everyone wants to say hello to you, Elsa, even the fossil! :D
I've never seen such a dragonfly that is red all over. Thanks for sharing!
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:) Akira - we have plenty red ones here
The blue one wasnt so great in my opinion - all taken with the D800 and 200-500 (the dragons flies that is)
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Do you tell them jokes ? how come they all seem to be smiling at you ?
Another vote for the camel !
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judging by the mouth i think its a female camel
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haha you guys are funny :)
They were laughing at my guests :) not me!
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:) Akira - we have plenty red ones here
The blue one wasnt so great in my opinion - all taken with the D800 and 200-500 (the dragons flies that is)
Elsa, thanks for yet another dragonfly. The blue one would make a nice contrast when shot with the red one. :)
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Elsa, thanks for yet another dragonfly. The blue one would make a nice contrast when shot with the red one. :)
next time dear - next time :)
I was just happy I even got to shoot any :) usually they bugger off before I lift my camera.
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next time dear - next time :)
I was just happy I even got to shoot any :) usually they bugger off before I lift my camera.
I won't hurry you, Elsa. I'm not sure if these dragonflies co-exist in the same place or environment...
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quite interesting..
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Thank you Bob