“There are only five islands in the whole world that have a fossil record of whales. And Santa Maria is one of them,” stated the principal investigator of the Centre for Research in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO-Azores), Sérgio Ávila, in statements to Lusa.

Vertebrae found

According to the researcher from the University of the Azores, while on the other four islands only “a tooth or a piece of a vertebra” has been found, in Santa Maria, “there are at least five or six places where we know of vertebrae of these large marine cetaceans that are preserved in the fossil record.”

Sérgio Ávila coordinates a team dedicated to the study, preservation, and scientific dissemination of the valuable paleontological heritage of Santa Maria, the oldest of the nine islands in the archipelago, home to the largest open-air fossil deposit in the North Atlantic.

“Over the last 20 years, we have conducted in-depth studies of the island. We keep opening and closing doors to different areas of research," he explained, indicating that we still have “between 10 and 20 scientific articles” in preparation about Santa Maria, some of which, when published, will have “a global impact.”

Joint effort

The researcher highlighted that the work carried out on the island is the result of the joint effort of more than 80 researchers from various fields, as well as interdisciplinary collaborators who accompanied scientists on all expeditions to Santa Maria.

“It’s a truly unique island. It has a very interesting geological history and a paleontological heritage that is practically unrivalled worldwide,” he emphasised.

Sérgio Ávila also explained that the island's geological history is rare, similar only to some other islands in Cape Verde, such as Sal Island.

"Over the next four to five years, we will continue to have material to publish about the island. And, at this moment, Santa Maria is certainly one of the best-known islands worldwide in terms of both terrestrial and marine fauna, and, in particular, in terms of the fossil record, that is, its paleontological heritage," he noted.

Preserving the discoveries

On 28 August, 2018, the Santa Maria Paleopark was established by Regional Legislative Decree to preserve the paleontological and geological features of Santa Maria.

According to the legislation, the Santa Maria Paleopark is required to follow an action plan.

Sérgio Ávila emphasised that it was possible to create the first paleopark in the world, covering the entire island and protecting existing fossil deposits, in a process that, at the time, involved the collaboration of the International Paleontological Association and the Azores Geopark.

This is the world's first paleopark, protecting the entire paleontological heritage of an island.

Sparking interest internationally

The researcher added that the Azorean model has already sparked interest among the governments of the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, which are considering implementing similar structures inspired by Santa Maria's example.

"The Santa Maria Paleopark has the force of law," Sérgio Ávila emphasised, explaining that this framework allows for the creation of areas with restricted access or fully protected areas for the conservation of paleontological heritage.

The island also has a Fossil House, an exhibition wing integrated into the Dalberto Pombo Environmental Interpretation Centre (CIADP), located in the historic area of Vila do Porto, to showcase Santa Maria's paleontological and geological collection.

According to information available on the website of the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, the House of Fossils "houses the collection of the naturalist Dalberto Pombo, a pioneer in the study of the geological and biological diversity of the island, and its main objective is to promote knowledge of the natural heritage in a dynamic and interactive way."