Whale Fossil and Concretions Discovered in Pohang to Be Designated as Natural Monuments

A Rare Complete Whale Fossil Discovered in Korea
Concretions Noted for Their Rarity and Aesthetic Value

The Cenozoic Duho Formation whale fossil and concretions discovered in Pohang are on the verge of being designated as Natural Monuments. The National Heritage Administration announced on October 20 that it would collect opinions from various sectors for a month and finalize the designation after a review by the Natural Heritage Committee.

The whale fossil was discovered in 2008 at a construction site in the Jangnyang residential development district in Pohang. It is a rare case in which an entire specimen was preserved intact within sedimentary rock of the Cenozoic Tertiary (Neogene) Duho Formation. As one of the few complete fossils found in Korea, it is also the largest Cenozoic whale fossil discovered in the country. In addition, it is the first fossil of the suborder Mysticetes (baleen whales) to be identified in Korea. The specimen is currently stored at the Daejeon Natural Monument Center.

The concretions, which are also slated for designation, are two specimens discovered in 2019 at an apartment construction site in Uhyun-dong, Pohang. Due to their large size and well-preserved form, they are considered to have high rarity and aesthetic value. Concretions are hard masses formed by minerals precipitating between sediment particles, and they serve as important clues for reconstructing the geological environment of the time.

The National Heritage Administration assessed that both heritage items possess significant academic and natural history value, making their preservation necessary. At the Daejeon Natural Monument Center, these specimens are made available to the public on the last Wednesday of every month, which is designated as 'Culture Day.'

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.