Digging up ancient past to unearth forest's secrets

Abu Dhabi: A natural history team from Yale University has arrived in Abu Dhabi to begin a four-year project in collaboration with the Historic Environment Department at the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.

The joint project concerns the investigation of the Baynunah Formation, a set of geological deposits rich in fossils in Abu Dhabi's Western Region.

The team from the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History led by Professor Andrew Hill and Faysal Bibi from Yale University, is working in Abu Dhabi for one month surveying and mapping fossil sites.

These sites date back about six to eight million years ago, a time known as the late Miocene epoch. During that time Abu Dhabi was greener than today, with rivers flowing through it teeming with hippos, crocodiles, turtles and fish. Forested areas and savanna-like grasslands were occupied by animals such as elephants, rhinos, giraffes, horses, antelopes and ostriches.

The team includes members of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage's (ADACH) Historic Environment Department. The joint ADACH-Yale team has so far carried out surveys at Hamra, Ras Dubay'ah, Ras Al Qal'a, Shuwaihat and Jebel Barakah.

Further work this year is planned for Mleisa, Niqa, Umm Al Ishtan and Jaw Al Dibsa. Several important new fossil specimens have already been discovered including the remains of an extinct giant form of ostrich as well as the jaws of an extinct elephant.

The fossils of Abu Dhabi contain elements in common with sites of a similar age from Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as a number of new species.

ADACH's historic environment team is currently working on an extensive project mapping the location of all the fossil sites within Abu Dhabi.