Long Way Education

By Eman Abdallah Kamel

Eman is a writer and an engineer. She is interested in writing about parks in Egypt and many other topics.

Wadi Al Hitan (Whale Valley)

Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) is a reserve located within the Wadi Al-Rayan Nature Reserve in the Western Desert of Egypt, within the Fayoum Governorate, about 150 km southwest of Cairo, the capital of Egypt.

The protected area covers an area of 1759 km² and contains more than 400 fossils of whales and other marine animals that lived there 40 million years ago. At that time, this area was part of a huge ocean.

Wadi al-Hitan Discovery

• In 1901, the first fossils were discovered.
• In 1905, the Basilosaurus Isis whale (18 meters long) and Dorudon Atrox (5 meters long) were discovered. These fossils have been classified as a new whale species at the Natural History Museum in London.
• In 1989, a team of Egyptian and American paleontologists discovered the first samples of the Basilosaurus whale structure and the Dorudon whale with their small legs and feet.
• In 1996, another whale fossil, 5 meters long, was discovered.
• The first elephant-ancestor mammal, identified as Moeritherium, was discovered in 2005.
• The geological team has identified more than 400 fossils of whales, sea cows, sea turtles, and other marine animals in this valley, some of which are complete skeletons.

What did Scientists Confirm about the Whale Valley?

Scientists confirmed that the Whale Valley is an exceptional site for the gathering of ancient marine life. The Whale Valley area is characterized by a unique ecosystem of wetlands, geological structures, aquatic eyes, and rare fossils.

Geological History

The story of Whale Valley is related to the global change that occurred before, during, and after the rock formation of Whale Valley.

Forty million years ago, two geological processes changed the face of the Earth. The first process determined the ancient shape of the Earth, and the second showed continuous changes.

Both the ancient Mediterranean and the Tethys Sea were located in North Africa.

About 35 million–250 million years ago, the Tethys Sea connected the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean through the land of what is now Saudi Arabia.

Warm weather prevented snow in the North Arctic and South Arctic, which caused the ocean to rise.

The presence of the Tethys Sea in the north of Africa continued for hundreds of millions of years.

The Earth’s climate changed, which led to the transformation of many oceans into ice, which led to the drying up of the Tethys Sea and the emergence of the land of Egypt.

After that, the Earth was exposed to a more humid climate than we have now. Heavy rains caused rivers that were able to remove many rocks and sediments, which was probably the cause of the formation of the Whale Valley.

The Whale Valley Museum

Whale Valley Museum opened its doors on January 14, 2016. Its rare fossil collection, dating back millions of years, makes it Egypt’s first museum of its kind. Its architecture is in keeping with the environment of Whale Valley.

The fossils at the museum assist in detecting climate change.

Tips For The Visitors

1. Materials from the surrounding environment surround the fossils. So visitors can view fossils without touching them.
2. The number of visitors is increasing, especially since the museum opened. More than 2,000 visitors annually go to Whale Valley by jeep and bus.
3. The Egyptian government has allocated a small area for camping inside the valley for visitors who love camping, especially in the winter season.
4. If you decide to camp, stay away from the slopes, check the weather conditions, preferably stay close to services, and have a first aid bag.

Sources

• Egypt State Information, Environmental Tourism, sis.gov.eg.
• Retrieved 2006, unesco.org.
• news.bbc.co.uk. Africa World Heritage Sites. BBC News, 15 July 2005.
• The Encyclopedia of Earth. https://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Wadi_Al-Hitan…

©Eman Abdallah Kamel, 2022

Latest Posts

• The Story of The Prophet Moses
• Glass Fiber: Manufacturing Process, Types, and Properties
• Denim Fabric Dyes
• Denim: Manufacturing Process, Properties, and Types
• Surah Al Qadr: Explanation and Benefits

LongWayEducation