In Çankırı, this year’s excavations were started at the ‘Çorakyerler Vertebrate Fossil Locality’, where fossils of many animals such as rhinoceros, saber-toothed tiger, giraffe, wild horses, hyena, weasel, antelope, arrowhead hedgehog, bison were found in previous years.
In the region where animal fossils dating back 9 million years have been found, more than 40 species have been reached to date.
Excavations are being carried out in the area around the leafy road of the Fatih District of Çankırı, by a team of 12 headed by Prof. Dr. Ayla Sevim Erol, Head of the Department of Anthropology Faculty of Language and History Geography of Ankara University.
Prof. Dr. Erol stated that they had started the excavation work this season. Explaining that they had found animal fossils dating back to 9 million years before the Çorakyeres, Erol said, “We have quite special, unique animals. We managed to put the publications of two of them into the literature, especially in 2020 and 2021, by giving the names of Çankırı and Çorakyerler, and their publications were published. There are 6 new species that lived in Anatolia and were only found in and around Çankırı. To date, more than 40 species have been found in the Çorakyerler locality with about 4 thousand identifiable fossil finds. Every year we encounter new species in the excavation works, and because it is an area full of surprises, we are waiting for something different to come across at any moment.”
Erol noted that the area where they were excavating had a fairly rich gallery forest, freshwater deposits and savanna areas millions of years ago.
Emphasizing that a fossil museum can be established in Çankırı with the fossils recovered, Erol stated that the museum would contribute to the city and the surrounding provinces both financially and scientifically.
SOURCE: ntv.com.tr/galeri/n-life/kultur-ve-sanat/cankirinin-jurassic-parkinda-kazilar-basladi9-milyon-yil-oncesine-aithayvan-fosilleri-bulundu,yxN4LIjUhEyGkkksM82BdQ/G4CjLOcsC0C_SYqII_7nqw
