Snippets of Information
Paleontology
* 2 Jan 2026
Salkhan Fossil Park, officially known as Sonbhadra
Fossils Park, located in the Sonbhadra District of Uttar Pradesh, India,
is a remarkable geological site, nestled amidst the verdant embrace of
the Kaimoor Wildlife Sanctuary. It is situated near the village of
Salkhan, around 15 kilometres from Robertsganj, the district
headquarters. Spanning approximately 25 hectares, it sits within the
Vindhyan mountain range, characterized by rugged terrain, steep
escarpments, and a unique geological landscape. The park is home to a
rich repository of fossils dating back approximately 1.4 billion years,
making it one of the oldest and most well-preserved fossil sites in the
world.
The site’s fossil assemblage, scattered across various formations,
primarily features an exceptional collection of stromatolites, i.e.
formations created by communities of cyanobacteria or blue-green algae,
which are vital indicators of ancient environmental conditions and
microbial life. Dominant among the stromatolites on the site is
Eoentophysalis sp., a colonial cyanobacterium. The fossils appear as
ripple or ring-like/circular or oval stony formations scattered across
limestone rock surfaces. These formations are concentrated in specific
zones within the park.
Salkhan’s fossils are meticulously preserved offering invaluable
insights into the earliest forms of life that populated our planet,
during the Proterozoic Eon - a critical time in geological history,
essential for understanding the evolution of life forms on Earth. The
park boasts a variety of stromatolitic morphologies, including columnar,
stratiform, and domal forms, preserved within the Bhander limestone of
the Vindhyan Supergroup, which features one of the most extensive and
well-preserved collections of Proterozoic sedimentary rocks on Earth.
The Salkhan Park itself is situated within the ‘Semri Group’, the oldest
part of the Supergroup.
Source: Salkhan Fossil Park, Sonbhadra, whc.unesco.org
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