Peru’s Ancient Fossils Threatened by Unplanned Development
Millions of years ago, Peru’s desert was home to a diverse array of marine creatures. Whales that walked on land, dolphins with walrus faces, enormous sharks, and unique penguins and sloths flourished in the region’s ancient lagoon. Today, the Pisco Basin in southern Peru is a treasure trove of fossilized remains, boasting at least 55 new species of marine vertebrates. However, this rich heritage is at risk due to unplanned development.
Ocucaje, a farm town serving as the gateway to the Pisco Basin, is undergoing rapid expansion with real estate projects, squatter settlements, and chicken farms encroaching on the desert. New roads, mud barriers, and barbed wire fences are altering the landscape, threatening the untouched fossils and pre-Columbian sites that lie beneath the surface.
Laura Peña, the mayor of Ocucaje, laments the loss of the open pampa, which has now been dissected by development. Without a land-tenure map, she struggles to determine the legality of the land demarcations and the ownership of the divided plots. Many of these subdivisions contain fossils and ancient sites that should have been protected and preserved.
The rapid growth of unplanned settlements has long posed a challenge to preserving Peru’s ancient ruins. With a housing deficit and diminishing available land, settlements are established informally and only later legalized. As population and economic activity concentrate along the arid coast of Peru, speculation for settlement claims extends to unlikely areas.
Peru’s most prolific fossil hunter, Mario Urbina Schmitt, returned to Ocucaje after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and was shocked by the surge of land claims and squatter settlements. As a paleontologist, Urbina Schmitt is driven by the desire to uncover new and unusual fossils, and Ocucaje is a treasure trove for his work. Notably, he discovered Perucetus colossus, a manatee-like whale that is now considered the heaviest animal ever known.
Paleontologists view Ocucaje as an unparalleled location for studying the evolution of marine animals, with its fossil-rich desert preserving the long-lost history in remarkable detail. However, the lack of adequate support and funding for paleontology in Peru hampers efforts to protect and conserve Ocucaje.
Despite discussions about creating a park in Ocucaje, progress has been slow due to disputes over which state institution should lead the preservation efforts. Currently, four real estate projects are offering plots of land in Ocucaje, capitalizing on the discovery of Perucetus colossus to attract buyers. These projects have not obtained the necessary permits to confirm the absence of fossils on their sites, as required by law.
Peruvian paleontologists hope that the excitement surrounding the discovery of Perucetus colossus will generate increased support for their field and encourage efforts to protect Ocucaje. Government officials in Peru are reviewing areas to declare off-limits, and plans are in place to revise Peru’s proposal to include the region as a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, time is of the essence as development continues to encroach upon this invaluable piece of Peru’s natural and cultural heritage.
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