SHILLONG: A team of experts has discovered rare fossil structures in Meghalaya that are estimated to be around 30 to 40 million years old.
The discovery was made during an expedition in February this year by a team of Core Geo Expedition in remote Gongdap village near Tolegre, situated in South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.
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Following this find, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) conducted a preliminary examination of the fossil.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) of South Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, Shivansh Awasthi, confirmed the discovery, stating that the fossil is estimated to be between 35 to 40 million years old.
Awasthi added that the exact age and species of the fossil will be determined after extraction and further examination in a laboratory by the GSI team.
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He mentioned that the GSI team would revisit the site the following day for further investigation.
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The Core Geo Expedition team, which explored the caves in Tolegre, informed the DC, in a letter, that they had traversed over 9 kilometres of subterranean passages in the region.
During their exploration, they stumbled upon a rare fossil.
Members of the Core Geo Expeditions team, including Tudor Tamas, Milton Sangma, and Salban Manda, speculated that the fossil could belong to either the genus Rhodocetus or Amulocetus, both of which are now extinct.
They suggested that this prehistoric animal might be a terrestrial ancestor of whales.
They also expressed their belief that this discovery could potentially be the first of its kind found in India, although verification from appropriate authorities is necessary.
Recognizing the urgency of preserving the fossil, expedition leaders Ayush Singh and Thomas Arbenz emphasized in their letter to the deputy commissioner that the site is vulnerable to natural and human forces and could be lost during the onset of the monsoon season.
They urged for prompt examination and preservation measures to be undertaken.