Well-preserved tree fossils from Jurassic age found in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: In a discovery that might excite geologists the world over, researchers of the State Forest Research and Training Institute (SFRTI) in Chhattisgarh have said that they have discovered tree fossils that date back about 250 million years - or the Jurassic age. The discovery could be a precursor to more such findings in the Sarguja region, known for its rich fossil reserves.

SFRTI director K C Yadav said that this was the first discovery of tree fossils in Chhattisgarh of international significance. Evidence suggests that the fossils, dating to the lower Gondwana time scale, were discovered on the north side of the Tamor Pingla wildlife sanctuary, in north Sarguja forest division.

During the exploration, scientists discovered an 18ft fossil stump of a tree measuring 10ft in diameter in a well-preserved state, along with six other large sections. They also found the fossil stump of another tree, which was 43ft long and 6ft in diameter, by the roadside in the forest.

Yadav said that the fossils are likely to be of the Glossopteris and Araucaria species. As fossils of different types and sizes are present in abundance in the entire area, the principal chief conservator of wildlife and biodiversity, Ram Prakash, asked SFRTI to survey the area and prepare a plan for developing a fossil park of national level for the protection of these fossils.

"It will not only help researchers but also laymen to learn more about tree fossils," he said, adding that he has also approved Rs 4 lakh for the first phase of conservation of the area. Explaining the magnitude of the discovery, Yadav said, "They are the oldest tree fossils found in India so far. Scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany (BSIP), Lucknow have also confirmed this."

R C Mehrotra, a scientist at BSIP, said, "We have taken samples of the fossils for examination, but a preliminary assessment suggests that they are the oldest fossils. After a month, we will give a report about the species of the trees."

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