Fishing on the Net
By Bonnie Nelson
Fossil Hunting Colorado Style
We have a lot of fossils in Colorado. I bet you have even looked for some. Fossils
are the preserved remains or traces of animals, plants, and other organisms from the
remote past. People have been finding fossils in rocks for thousands of years, but
until quite recently they didn't understand what they were. And, we can find them
just about anywhere.
When an animal or plant dies it usually rots away. But when the conditions are just
right and its remains can be buried quickly, it may be fossilized. This happens when
a dead animal settles on the sea floor and is buried by sediment. Over time the
only thing left is a skeleton, and it is covered with sediment. This preserves the
shape of the original skeleton, and eventually it turns into hard rock through
mineralization.
Most people think of dinosaurs as being fossils. They are, but there are many
different types of fossils to be found. Paleontologists divide them into two major
types - body fossils and trace fossils. Body fossils are the fossilized remains of
an animal or plant, like bones, shells and leaves. These include petrified wood, or
whole body fossils - mammoths caught in ice, or insects trapped in amber. The
second type of fossil records the activity of an animal. Known as trace fossils,
these include footprints, tracks, and fossil scat (http://www.
oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/fossils/intro/types.htm)!
Colorado has several fossil beds. Just go up to Woodland Park and you can visit the
dinosaur museum. Then, check out Florissant Fossil Beds. Beneath the ground is one
of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world. Up to 1700 different
species have been described. The largest fossils are massive, petrified Sequoia
trees. These are some of the largest diameter petrified trees in the world (http://www.nps.gov/ flfo/naturescience/index.htm).
Another place to check for fossils is between Walsenburg and Ft. Garland. You can
find brachiopods, coral and gastropods there. Near Pueblo at Baculite Mesa you can
find the remains of ancient sea life. The fossil-loaded location is easy to find,
easy to get to, and, most importantly, easy for picking up lots of marine fossils
(http://www.fossils-facts-and-finds.com/ baculite.html).
When you start looking for fossils make sure that you seek permission from
landowners before hunting. Collect your findings responsibly, record the details,
label and care for the specimens. Above all have fun!
Bonnie Nelson is a freelance writer living in Fountain, CO. If you have any comments or questions, email her at waltbon@comcast.net
CONTACT THE WRITER • WALTBON@COMCAST.nET
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