Wadi Al-Hitan, Also know as Valley of Whales, Fayoum, Egypt

Wadi Al-Hitan is one of the best fossils around the world, valley of Whales is located about 90-miles west from Cairo in the governarate of Fayoum, Egypt. The impressive thing it shows is how these extinct whales, moving from ground to sea mammals

Wadi Al-Hitan is the most important site in the world to demonstrate one of the iconic changes that make up the record of life on Earth: the evolution of the whales. It portrays vividly their form and mode of life during their transition from land animals to a marine existence. It exceeds the values of other comparable sites in terms of the number, concentration and quality of its fossils, and their accessibility and setting in an attractive and protected landscape. Iconic assemblage of fossilized skeletons of Archaeoceti (primitive whales documenting cetacean transition to marine life), sirenians and reptiles, as well as shark teeth from Gehannam Formation (40-41 million years ago). The Strata in Wadi Al Hitan belongs to Middle Eocene Time and it contains extensive mass of vertebrate fossil within 120-miles Fossils are present in high numbers and often show excellent quality of preservation. The most conspicuous fossils are the skeletons and bones of whales and sea cows, and over several hundred fossils of these have been documented. The fossils of whales vary from single bones to entire skeletons, and a number of partial skeletons are currently on display in the public part of the park. The two common whales are the large Basilosaurus, and the smaller 20-feet Dorudon. At least two other species are known from rarer remains. The whales possess small hind limbs, that are not seen in modern whales, and a powerful skull with teeth similar to those of carnivorous land mammals. Other mammals are represented by the skeletons of three species of sirenia or sea cows. These were fully marine like the whales, and likewise show primitive features not seen in modern species and possess teeth that suggest that they grazed on sea-grasses and other marine plants. Bones of the primitive elephant Moeritherium have also been recorded. Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) is unusual in having such a large concentration of fossil whales (1500 marine vertebrate fossil skeletons) in a relatively small area. (Whales, sea cows crocodiles and sharks). Eocene Strata which exposed in the site and contains marine vertebrate fossils. (Gehannam Fm, Berket Qroun Fm and Qasr El Sagha Fm.)

Fossil reptiles are represented by fossils of crocodiles and sea turtles, and bones of sea snakes have also been recorded. There are many species of bony fish, sharks and rays represented, but most of the fossils are isolated small teeth and these are not often conspicuous. Larger fish fossils include the rostra and pegs of saw-fish; a saw-fish rostrum of 8-feet long is laid out in the park. Fossil shells are not common in the main whale-bearing rocks, but are very common in other rocks; many fallen rocks can be seen to be full of a wide variety of fossil shells. Disc-shaped nummulite fossils are common in places, and often coat the desert floor. A large log is present in the park, and this is full of tubular ship-worm fossils. Some fossil sea-grasses are also known.