Cave sediments yielded bones of giant tapirs, rhinoceros, and orangutans that went extinct 10,000 years ago. The fauna indicates forests were more extensive during the last ice age.
Augustios Paleo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
An ancient ecosystem revealed
Deep within the rugged terrain of Alaungdaw Kathapa National Park, caves hold the remains of an ecosystem that vanished at the end of the last ice age. The park, a 1,605-square-kilometer sanctuary in Myanmar's Sagaing Region, is known today for its living populations of elephants, leopards, and bears. However, paleontological investigations have uncovered a lost world of megafauna, recording the Late Pleistocene epoch.
Excavations carried out by a joint Franco-Myanmar research team have unearthed a large collection of fossilized bones from cave floor sediments. These remains belong to species that roamed this area when global climates were cooler and drier. The fossil assemblage suggests that, unlike many parts of the world that turned to grassland during the Last Glacial Maximum around 21,000 years ago, this region of Myanmar supported extensive forests.
A lost world of giants
The fossils from Alaungdaw Kathapa include several impressive megafauna species. Among the most significant finds are the remains of the giant tapir, Tapirus augustus. This was the largest tapir species known to have existed, weighing up to 623 kilograms—considerably larger than any tapir alive today. It is believed to have been a browser, living in tropical rainforest environments near water sources.
Alongside the giant tapir, paleontologists identified bones of the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) and an extinct species of orangutan, Pongo hooijeri. The presence of a large orangutan indicates a dense, closed-canopy forest, as these apes depend on extensive woodlands for their survival. While fossils of Pongo hooijeri are primarily known from Vietnam, their discovery here extends the known range of these large Pleistocene primates. The combined fauna, which also includes various bovids, cervids (deer), and suids (pigs), represents a biodiverse forest ecosystem that thrived during the final millennia of the Pleistocene.
💡Fun Facts
*Tapirus augustus*, the giant tapir, was the largest tapir species ever to live and was comparable in size to a horse.
The national park is named after a revered Buddhist figure, Alaungdaw Kathapa, and a sacred shrine deep within the park is a major pilgrimage site.
While many regions became arid during the last ice age, the fossil evidence here suggests Myanmar retained significant forest cover, serving as a biological refuge.
The park today hosts at least 39 species of mammals and 370 species of birds, including tigers and the great hornbill.
The park is a remote, protected area. Access is generally restricted and requires arrangement with the Forest Department or a licensed tour operator.
Admission
Fees are applicable for park entry and are typically arranged by tour operators.
Accessibility
The terrain is rugged, hilly, and forested. Reaching the fossil areas or the central shrine involves difficult trekking and sometimes elephant rides. Infrastructure within the park is very limited.
The Alaungdaw Kathapa Megafauna FossilsSagaing Region, Myanmar
