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Five million years ago the Cape west
coast was very different from what it is today with a wide range of
now extinct animals living in riverine forests, wooded savanna, the
adjacent sea and on offshore islands. Phosphate mining operations at
Langebaanweg uncovered one of the richest
fossil
sites in the world.
Over the past 40 years bones of 200 different kinds of animals, many
of them new to science have been recovered. A few years after mining
operations ceased in 1993, a 14 ha fossil-rich area within the mine
property was declared a National Heritage Site. Iziko Museums of Cape
Town and SAMANCOR launched the Fossil Park in 1998 to bring
palaeontology to the public.
The first phase of the West Coast Fossil Park was launched by Minister
of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Dr Pallo Jordan on 22nd September
1998. Guest speakers included Mrs Evita Bezuidenhout, Dr Mike Cluver,
Mr Mike Salamon, Mr Wynand Dreyer and Ms Laurine Platzky. A test trench
was excavated by a contract Archaeology team from UCT and the remains
of several extinct giraffes called sivatheres were uncovered and left
"in situ" for public viewing. This first phase also included
the renovation of the old Chemfos mine office block to provide a display
area, lecture room, laboratory, offices, tea room, curio shop and
research accommodation for a team of up to 12 people.
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