Over is time of field expeditions, excavations for Vyatka paleontologists. No more research trips for our colleagues and students this year. Tourists also have to wait for next year to see Kotel’nich locality in full glory again. It was been a good season. Great to see you all pleased with things you saw and did. We hope to see you all next year again, for new field impressions and discoveries. For us now is time to see the results of this field season. Meanwhile, we’re always glad to greet you in our museums in Kirov and Kotel’nich.
As for the summer, it was generous enough to us. Museum expeditions to Kotel’nich locality resulted in more finds. Among them, 3 skeletons of ancient lizards – pareiasaurs, part of synapsid reptile Suminia skeleton, part of dicynodont skull. In Kotel’nich area museum employees dug 34 mammoth bones, almost one third of complete skeleton of a juvenile mammoth.
Also, during summer, museum tour guides organized excursions to Kotel’nich locality for more than 2000 people. For many of them we did special geological tours with some interactive elements. Visitors could take part in excavations at our specially designed excavation field model. That’s a great experience anyone can share now.
Sorry to say, there were not only good moments. Museum employees also removed piles of litter left by wild tourists on the shore for whole summer. Even worse, some vandals destroyed one of the expedition’s finds. If we don’t do anything to protect that place now, it will soon be too late. So, starting next year, locality will be under constant security. That’s least that we can do to protect this unique nature sight, which we plan to suggest including in the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites soon.
On October 23 Vyatka Palaeontological Museum employees organized general cleaning of the locality territory. We took out our playing module depicting field paleontological excavations, that is used to entertain and educate children. It will spend the winter in museum. Sadly, same vandals managed to damage the module twice during summer. We even had to change its construction because of their destructive actions. During the day of work we collected and removed 5 huge bags of trash.
We apply to everybody who visits this unique corner of the Earth, zest of Vyatka nature: please, keep the forest safe, don’t cut trees, don’t leave piles of litter after you leave the place.
Zhdanov M.N.,
Head of Kotel’nich branch of Vyatka Palaeontological museum
