Miocene (~ 14 Ma) Vertebrate-Yielding Site of Palasava, Kachchh, Gujarat State, Western India: Geoheritage-Geotourism Perspectives and Geosite Potential

Abstract

United Nations protection programmes under the UNESCO’s Global Geopark initiatives have resulted in the establishment and recognition of 195 Global Geoparks in 48 countries to sustainably protect Geoheritage. Given an inclusive approach with local communities and the geoscientific communities as stakeholders, the UNESCO Global Geopark concept has gained popularity in India. Further, India provides a diverse range of geoheritage in terms of rock records from the Precambrian to the Holocene. The Kachchh region (western India) has tremendous scope to be conserved under the UNESCO Geopark programme as it sustains many plausible geosites. Of the numerous geosites within Kachchh, the “Palasava” locale holds geoheritage potential as it exposes ~ 14 million-year-old Chassra Formation sedimentary succession that is well-known to yield vertebrate (including marine and terrestrial mammals) fossils. These fossils hold significance in the context of origin and diversification of middle Miocene vertebrates (including mammals), Neogene biochronology of Kutch, palaeobiogeographic scenarios involving various vertebrate groups, and related aspects. In a geotourism context, the Palasava locale presents picturesque views being located between the Wagad Highland and the Little Rann of Kutch. In addition to local religious and cultural features, the Kachchh (= Kutch) region is globally well-recognized for the “Wild Ass Sanctuary” and the “Rann Utsav”– “Festival of the Rann.” Owing to its unique Geoheritage and geotourism potential, we herein, propose Palasava locale as a “geosite” within the “Kachchh Geopark” to protect and conserve this geologically significant locale, to enhance sustainable geotourism in the region for the economic benefit of the local population and for the public to cherish.