Spectacular Fossils Found In Perak's Limestone Hills

Lim Tze Tshen...'most of the fossils came from limestone hills in Perak'

Most of the fossils and some spectacular ones like hippopotamus fossil was found within the limestone hills in Perak.

This was revealed by Lim Tze Tshen the President of the Paleontological Society of Malaysia who was in Ipoh at the invitation of Kinta Valley Watch (KVW) group to present a talk on paleontology and the importance of limestone hills.

Lim is attached to the Sarawak Museum and cooperates with paleontologists from the University of Malaya doing mammal fossil research in Malaysia.

He said ecologically it is very important to protect the limestone hills because some of the hills have caves and within they have unique ecosystems where rare animals lived inside.

Some spectacular fossils found are two records of hippopotamus one found in Gua Datuk in the vicinity Lost World of Tambun in the 1960’s and which is on display at the prehistoric gallery of Museum Negara and the other is from Gerik. 

The other spectacular fossils is the Tiger found embedded in the ceiling at Naga Mas and Orang Utan fossils in Lenggong and a cave near Kanthan hill.

On top of the hills we have the vegetation like orchids, some cycads which is a kind of plant that was a living fossil from the dinosaur period but they still survive in limestone hills and begonias. These are very rare but are very endemic to limestone hills.

Once you wipe off the limestone hills you wipe off all the animals and plants. That is why it is important to find a sustainable way to protect these limestone hills.

According to Lim most of these limestone caves have fossils inside. At the moment most of the fossils they are studying came from the limestone caves in Perak due to the many limestone outcrops and caves.

Fossil's found in Ipoh's limestone hills

I am not against mining or quarrying but urged companies to go underground. A lot of mining companies overseas avoid mining the outcrop and prefer to go underground mining so the technique is already established. There is so much to lose rather than gained.

On the situation in the Kinta Valley Lim says those hills that are fairly intact should be protected. Make clear the status of the hill then try to find ways how it could be incorporated into the protected area systems.

Those that have been mined I hope the authorities will work closely with the companies to restore the areas and make them less of an eyesore.

 

An auditorium within Gua Selari where Lim delivered his talk

The talk was held at Gua Selari one of the many caves of Gunong Lanno which the KVW group is lobbying to protect from further quarrying activity. 

Kinta Valley Watch has in recent months shown on its Fb page of the same name, the richness of the natural biodiversity of Gunong Lanno.

The hill also houses remains of the tin mining activity within one of the caves, Gua Gatsch which the group is trying to preserve to showcase the industrial heritage of the Kinta Valley.

JAG