Goose flight, Natural monument and paleontological site near Pavlodar, Kazakhstan.
Goose Flight is a natural monument and fossil site stretching 800 meters (2,625 feet) along the eastern bank of the Irtysh River near Pavlodar. The location preserves remains of animals from millions of years ago that help scientists understand how life existed in this region during ancient times.
Paleontologist Yuri Alexandrovich Orlov discovered bone and teeth fragments in the rock formations here in 1928. The site received official protected status in 1971 to preserve this important scientific resource for future study.
Scientists have identified fossils of more than 60 different animal species at this location, including Chilotherium, Samotherium, Machairodus, and Lagomeryx.
The site is open to visitors and has an open-air museum established in 2019 to explain the discoveries. Before visiting, check local conditions since the riverside location can sometimes be affected by weather or water levels.
The fossils date back roughly 4.5 million years and represent one of Central Asia's largest burial sites of Hipparion fauna. This unusual concentration of remains allows researchers to reconstruct a complete picture of the ecological system from that distant past.
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