Mistaken Point
Overview
This fossil site is located at the south-eastern tip of the island of Newfoundland, in eastern Canada. It consists of a narrow, 17 km-long strip of rugged coastal cliffs. Of deep marine origin, these cliffs date to the Ediacaran Period (580-560 million years ago), representing the oldest known assemblages of large fossils anywhere. These fossils illustrate a watershed in the history of life on earth: the appearance of large, biologically complex organisms, after almost three billion years of micro-dominated evolution.
About Mistaken Point
Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve is a wilderness area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located at the southeastern tip of Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The reserve is home to the namesake Mistaken Point Formation, which contains one of the most diverse and well-preserved collections of Precambrian fossils in the world. Ediacaran fossils discovered at the site constitute the oldest known remnants of multicellular life on Earth.
Read more on WikipediaSelection Criteria
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Components(1 location)
- •Mistaken Point1497
Details
- Countries
- Canada
- ISO Codes
- CA
- Area
- 146 ha
- Coordinates
- 46.6350, -53.2111
Stay Nearby
Mistaken Point
Attractions & Tickets
Mistaken Point
Getting Here
Mistaken Point