Ancient Preserved Flamingo Egg Found in Mexico during Airport Construction
13:15 JST, August 31, 2023
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) — An ancient flamingo fossil egg between 8,000 and 12,000 years old was uncovered at a busy construction site for a new airport in Mexico, officials from the Latin American country said.
The remarkably preserved egg from the Pleistocene period is incredibly rare. It is the first discovery of its kind from the Phoenicopteridae flamingo family in the Americas and only the second in the world, according to Mexico’s heritage institute INAH on Aug. 2.
The Pleistocene geological epoch, the most recent Ice Age, began 2.6 million years ago and ended around 11,700 years ago.
The flamingo egg fossil was found at a depth of 31 centimeters amid clay and shale during construction at the new Felipe Angeles airport in the State of Mexico, INAH said.
The fossil egg implies that the area was the site of a shallow lake between 8,000 and 33,000 years ago, according to Mexican scientists, and that flamingos once thrived in central Mexico.
Today’s American flamingo species, known for its bright pink feathers, is mainly found in South America, the Caribbean, the Yucatan peninsula and the southeast coast of the United States.
"Science & Nature" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
TEPCO to Commence Groundbreaking Fukushima Debris Extraction; Marking New Phase in Decommissioning
-
Govt to Develop AI-Equipped Drones to Identify Suspicious People in Disaster-Hit Areas
-
Largest 3D-printed Neighborhood Nears Completion
-
Tahitians Fight for Reef, Way of Life
-
Giraffes Bring Peace to Kenyan Communities Once at Odds
JN ACCESS RANKING
- Nankai Trough Megaquake Tsunami could Hit in 2 Minutes; Japan Authorities Urge Caution after Recent Earthquake
- Typhoon Shanshan Forms, Slowly Moves Toward Japan; Govt Says Typhoon No. 10 Likely to Approach Japan Next Week
- Typhoon Ampil Approaching Japan
- Shizuoka Pref. City Offers Foreigners Free Japanese Language Classes; Aims to Raise Non-Natives to Daily Conversation Level
- Tokyo Companies Prepare for Ashfall From Mt. Fuji Eruption; Disposal Of Ash, Possibly at Sea, A Major Challenge