St Bathans fauna, Paleontological site in Central Otago District, New Zealand
St Bathans fauna is a paleontological site in the Central Otago District of New Zealand's South Island, where fossil remains of mammals, birds, crocodiles, turtles, and reptiles from the Early Miocene have been found. The deposits are scattered along the Manuherikia River valley, near the old gold mining settlement of St Bathans.
In 2006, scientists found nontherian mammal fossils at this site, which changed what was known about New Zealand's animal life. The discovery showed that land animals once lived here in greater variety than earlier research had suggested.
The St Bathans fauna has changed how New Zealanders think about their own natural history. Before these fossils were found, the country was widely believed to have had no land mammals, a story that turned out to be incomplete.
The fossil locations are spread along the Manuherikia River valley, so it is worth asking locally before heading out to find the most accessible spots. The terrain is uneven in places, so sturdy footwear makes the visit more comfortable.
The fossils were preserved in the sediments of an ancient freshwater lake that had a warm, subtropical climate, roughly 19 to 16 million years ago. This lake left behind layers that captured a range of animals, including some found nowhere else in New Zealand's fossil record.
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