Place in Colombia was named one of the world’s top geological heritage sites: where is it? | Más Colombia
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Place in Colombia was named one of the world’s top geological heritage sites: where is it?

International organization recognized as geological heritage an area of the Colombian territory. We tell you what the recognition is about.
Geological heritage, fossil, geology, Más Colombia

Colombia’s geological heritage is growing. Recently, one of the treasures of the department of Huila was listed as geological heritage by the International Union of Geological Sciences, in an act that confirms the richness of the Colombian territory.

Today, Tuesday, August 27, the updated list of the second hundred geological heritage sites by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) was revealed and Colombia received a recognition that confirms, once again, the diversity of the country. This is the paleontological site of La Venta, a place characterized by its geological abundance, located in the department of Huila.


The recognition of La Venta as geological heritage comes from the other side of the world, as it was announced in the middle of an event that brings together the scientific community at the facilities of the International Union of Geological Sciences in Busan, South Korea.

Here we tell you what this recognition of Colombia’s geological heritage is all about.

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Colombian geological heritage: from Huila to the world

It was the president of the International Union of Geological Sciences, John Ludden, accompanied by the secretary general Stanley Finney and the president of the International Commission of Geological Heritage, Asier Hilario, who made the announcement that we celebrate today in Colombia.

Through a press release, the Colombian Geological Survey announced that La Venta, in La Tatacoa, has been identified as a site with two important paleontological finds from different periods. The most recent deposit is about 16 thousand years old in the Pleistocene, while the older one dates back to the Middle Miocene, approximately 13 million years ago.


Geological heritage, Tatacoa desert, Más Colombia
Tatacoa Desert

The town of La Venta is famous for having two paleontological sites because the dryness of this tropical dry forest has facilitated their discovery. An ancient tropical rainforest was home to diverse animals such as turtles, glyptodonts, snakes, crocodiles, birds, fish, manatees and bats, along with a great variety of plants, leaving a valuable fossil record.

The impressive feature of the site, now recognized as geological heritage, is that, due to the great quantity and variety, it is feasible to find almost intact fossil specimens of these species. A rare occurrence.

geological heritage, Tatacoa desert, Más Colombia
Tatacoa Desert

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New recognition for the country

Colombia had already been recognized for its geological heritage on other occasions. Marianela Vargas, geologist of the National Geological Museum mentioned through the Museum’s social networks which are the most recent recognitions of geological heritage that the country has received.

Vargas said that in 2022, IUGS included in the list of geological heritage sites the Nevado del Ruiz Volcanic Complex and the paleontological area of marine reptiles of Ricaurte Alto, Boyacá. This recognition enhances the richness of the Colombian territory.

Both Nevado del Ruiz and La Venta are places of extreme importance for Earth Sciences, so the recognition of these areas as geological heritage is a key step for the scientific community to keep a precise control of the places with high archaeological value. This is precisely the objective of the list published by the IUGS.

Vargas also emphasized that this new recognition of geological heritage confirms Colombia’s position as one of the most geographically diverse countries in the world.


geological heritage, Tatacoa desert, Más Colombia
Tatacoa Desert

Receiving this award also highlights the importance of collaborating with local communities, scientists and international organizations to conserve the valuable history that our territory offers us, as highlighted by the National Geological Museum.

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