Shilin UNESCO Global Geopark is located in Shilin Yi Autonomous County of southeastern China’s Yunnan Province. The Geopark, famous for its imposing and unique Stone Forest (Pinnacle - Karst) landfrom, is one of the three representative karst landforms in South China and was designated as a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2004.

The limestone that developed the Stone Forest contains exceptionally abundant and diversified fossils including Corals, Brachiopods, Cephalopods, Fusulinidas, Gastropoda, Bryozoa, Stromatoporoidea, etc. Some rocks are composed almost wholly of biological debris. Therefore the Geopark is also an important vertebrate paleontology fossil reserve in China.

Fossils in the Shilin UGGp ( photo by Wang Limei )

Fossils in the Shilin UGGp ( photo by Wang Limei )

Fossils in the Shilin UGGp ( photo by Wang Limei )

Fossils in the Shilin UGGp ( photo by Wang Limei )

Fossils in the Shilin UGGp ( photo by Wang Limei )

The Bryozoan fossils in the clints of the Bushao Hill, the Major Stone Forest Area of Shilin Geopark, are the most intact and abundant of those found in the Karst landform of South China. Due to the small degree of weathering and water erosion on the surface of the fossils, a large amount of fossils in the Naigu Stone Forest Area of Shilin Geopark are well preserved, which are of outstanding appreciation and scientific value.

Fossils in the Shilin UGGp ( photo by Wang Limei )

Fossils in the Shilin UGGp ( photo by Wang Limei )

Shilin Global Geopark Administrative Bureau and its strategic partner, Yunnan University, carried out joint research on the fossils within the Geopark and published a book Fossils in the Shilin UNESCO Global Geopark of Yunnan Province in April 2021. The book, including overview of biological fossils, classification and description of fossils in the Shilin UNESCO Global Geopark, etc. conveyed geoscience knowledge to the general public.

Professor of Yunnan University Carried out Research on Fossils in Shilin UGGp  ( photo by Wang Limei )

the book Fossils in the Shilin UNESCO Global Geopark of Yunnan Province

The fossils，considered as excellent evidence of Shilin’s geological evolution, play a key role in helping the general public better understand the“past”of Shilin. Not everyone can fully understand and believe that Shilin area was once the bottom of the ocean long long ago. But most people know that corals live in the sea; with so many coral fossils in the clints of the Geopark, visitors are likely to better know that Shilin area was once an exuberant and busy marine world in the period of some 270 millions years ago. These fossils are records of life on earth and also bear testimony to the vicissitudes experienced by Shilin.