“We've Unearthed an Epic Fossil Find in Kootenay
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1 9 t h A N N U A L “We’ve“We’ve unearthedunearthed anan epicepic fossilfossil findfind inin KootenayKootenay NationalNational Park”Park” GUEST SCIENTIST AND KEYNOTE SPEAKER Jean-Bernard Caron Curator of Invertebrate Palaeontology at the Royal Ontario Museum and Associate Professor, Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto A Week Full of Exciting Events Celebrating Birds www.WingsOverTheRockies.org and Nature · Registration Opens April 6th · 2015 www.WingsOverTheRockies.org • Local: 250-342-2473 · Toll Free: 1-855-342-2473 PYNEloGS CUltURAL CENtrE · INVERMERE · BC The Burgess Shale Site Keynote message by Bernard Caron Highlighting the 2015 Wings Over the Rockies early morphological disparity, and the geographic ranges Festival will be keynote speaker, Jean-Bernard and longevity of many Cambrian taxa. The arthropod- dominated assemblage is particularly remarkable for its Caron, Curator of Invertebrate Palaeontology high density and diversity of soft-bodied fossils, as well at the Royal Ontario Museum, who headed the as for its large proportion of new species (22% of the research team that made the Marble Canyon total diversity). Among the treasure trove of fossils were more than 50 remarkably well-preserved specimens of fossil discoveries in 2012. The accompanying Metaspriggina, an enigmatic animal previously described article, submitted by him, conveys the excitement from two fragments from the Walcott Quarry and that remained poorly understood until now. The first detailed and enthusiasm for scientific discovery that he we had started to excavate during the 2012 field season. study of this species was published last June, and we will share with us during his presentation at the During that process, we recovered many additional are now suggesting that this animal is one of the most Welcome to the 19th annual Wings the remains of creatures which Bhutan, India and Tibet. They have About 90 events will take place specimens of Metaspriggina. Remarkably, many of the Wings Gala Banquet at Fairmont Hot Springs primitive fishes known. Many specimens show amazing Over the Rockies Festival. Our theme roamed the oceans millions of recently prepared an exhibit and throughout the valley, from Kimberley specimens were preserved in groups, suggesting a preservation of a pair of large eyes and a pair of nostrils, for 2015 is Fossils and Feathers. Our years ago. Who knows – some published an ibook “Heart of the to Golden, but as always the focal point Resort on May 9th. gregarious habit and perhaps representing what appears W-shaped muscle segments, as well as a notochord, special objective is to educate the could even be your distant great- Himalaya” featuring the alluring of the Wings Festival is Invermere’s to be the oldest known schooling behaviour in the fossil a structure that forms part of the vertebrae in fishes, public on recent scientific research great-great-great......great cousin. spirit of the people of the Himalaya. historic Pynelogs Cultural Centre, The Burgess Shale site, known today as the Walcott record of fish. In addition, we discovered new sites with lizards, frogs, birds and us. Remarkably, this fish has and discoveries in our corner of Professional paleontologists like This will be the focus of their evening situated adjacent to Kinsmen Beach Quarry, is located in Yoho National Park. It is world-famous superbly preserved complete Metaspriggina specimens. on beautiful Lake Windermere. Here seven pairs of bar-like structures below the head and on south-eastern BC. me certainly share the same thrill presentation at Wings. Expect some for the exquisite preservation of marine soft-bodied These new specimens may provide new anatomical details you will find registration assistance, either side of the body, of which the first pair is thought Leading the way will be Jean-Bernard as amateurs do when a beautiful, stunning photography, video and first animals that lived during the Cambrian period about and may even represent different species, owing to slight most evening presentations, an art to ultimately evolve into the vertebrate jaws! Our detailed Caron, Curator of Invertebrate rare or particularly complete hand insight from this remote but 505 million years ago. In the summer of 2012, a Royal differences in the ages and environmental conditions at show, and a display of silent and study, published in Nature, received wide media attention Paleontology at the Royal Ontario specimen is discovered. Now rapidly changing roof of the world. Ontario Museum (ROM)-led field party was prospecting the different sites. We are currently unpacking, sorting live auction items. This brochure in Canada and abroad including in the New York Times, Museum, who headed the research imagine finding a motherlode of around the scenic Marble Canyon locality in northern and preparing the thousands of specimens collected in Other presenters include Dave Quinn, provides details on all field trips, but the story is not yet over! field team that made the Marble extraordinary specimens dating Kootenay National Park, about 40 km southeast of the 2014 before we can start a detailed study of the material. Brian Gibb, Mark Mauthner, Sanford presentations and other events. Canyon fossil discoveries in 2012. from the time when the first Walcott Quarry, when we stumbled upon extraordinary Registration starts on Monday, April It will take some time, but stay tuned for future exciting In addition to delivering the keynote complex animals evolved and Osler, Chris Jenkins and an evening fossils dating back to the dawn of animal life. In less than This past summer, in collaboration with Parks Canada, 6th at 9:00 AM sharp. Many events stories to come, many of which we hope will soon be address at the Wings Gala Banquet, diversified on Earth. Well, this is of song and entertainment with the two weeks we had gathered more than 3000 specimens I led my largest field expedition since I joined the ROM sell out quickly, so register early to presented together with fossils in our future Dawn of Life he will do an additional luncheon what we think we have unearthed Wardens from Banff. of Cambrian marine soft-bodied animals! The new site is in 2006. This international expedition was sponsored in avoid being disappointed. Gallery at the Royal Ontario Museum! presentation, school presentations in Kootenay National Park close to We hope you will enjoy the full week about the same age as the Walcott Quarry and it gives us part by the ROM, National Geographic, the University of and participate in field trips and Marble Canyon”. field trips, presentations, workshops, new insights into the initial diversification of animals, their Uppsala and Pomona College in California. Our team of paddles. Pat and Baiba Morrow have spent hikes and paddles culminating with up to 10 crew members spent 10 weeks in the area Quoting from his blog “Imagine over 1000 days trekking and climbing the Wings Gala Banquet at the of Marble Canyon, recovering thousands of fossil JimCHAIR Bonny unearthing for the first time in the Himalaya from Pakistan to Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. specimens and finding many more new species. The bulk of our work consisted of extending a quarry that A Safer Highway for Kootenay National Park – By Ross MacDonald Question: Why did the moose cross the road in Kootenay health. Commonly seen animals, like deer, are attracted to investment for phase two of the Kootenay Wildlife Crossing National Park? roadsides that provide forage and easy travel. Wary species, Project to support construction of at least four wildlife Answer: To get to the other side - if it can. such as wolves, grizzlies and wolverines are reluctant to crossings and approximately 6.5 km of further fencing along approach and cross roads. With time, populations can this busy highway in 2015. Funds earmarked for this project It is not easy being an animal in the mountains. To find food, Panoramic view from base of Mount Burgess showing the Burgess become isolated from each other and from vital habitat. are part of a multi-year, agency-wide investment to achieve connect with a mate, or rear their young, animals need to Shale on Fossil Ridge (center, in the background) between Wapata How can we improve highway safety and reconnect habitats? tangible conservation outcomes while connecting Canadians move between patches of habitat in a landscape that is Mountain (middle left) and Mount Field (middle right) Fortunately there is a solution. to nature as part of Canada’s National Conservation Plan. pinched by rivers, rock, ice and predators. As they move - ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM: Jean-Bernard Caron Parks Canada’s monitoring of how animals use the new between winter and summer ranges their routes often cross From 1983 until 2013 Parks Canada built 38 underpasses a busy highway. and six overpasses in Banff National Park. Fences keep crossing structures will inform further mitigations and help animals off the Trans-Canada Highway while crossing make future highway travel safer for all animals – including Kootenay National Park is a highway park. Kootenay was structures stitch together habitats. The crossing structures humans. Westside Legacy Trail – Greenways Trail Alliance created in 1920 as part of an agreement between the work! They are being used by all large species. Wildlife- federal and provincial governments to build a road across This spring, a new exhibit about crossing structures will be The Columbia Valley Greenways Trail Alliance has a new project some of the major streams to their original state after a long The project goal is to complete the trail with community engagement, vehicle collisions have been reduced by about 80% for all underway which is a 25 km trail from Invermere to Fairmont Hot history of poor logging practices. They planted trees along the encouraging residents, businesses and local governments to the central Rockies.