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Miguasha Park (Canada)

Document type
Decision
Reference number
VIII.A.1
Date
Nov 29, 1999
Source
UNEP, InforMEA
Status
Active
Subject
Wild species & ecosystems
Treaty
Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (Nov 23, 1972)
Meeting
23e session du Comité
Website
whc.unesco.org
Abstract

Property: Miguasha Park

Id. N°: 686Rev

State Party: Canada

Criteria: N(i)

In its representation of vertebrate life, Miguasha Park is the most outstanding fossil site in the world for illustrating the Devonian as the "Age of Fishes". The area is of paramount importance in having the greatest number and best preserved fossil specimens found anywhere in the world of the lobe-finned fishes that gave rise to the first four-legged, air-breathing terrestrial vertebrates - the tetrapodes.

The Committee decided to inscribe the site under natural criterion (i). The Committee commended the Government of Canada for the rigorous comparative assessment applied to this nomination and noted it as a model for future fossil nominations. Following an intervention of the Delegate of Thailand, IUCN highlighted the results of the comparative study on Devonian sites and elaborated on how this site addresses criterion (i).