The famous institute for Palaebotany, named Birbal Sahni Institute Lucknow has completed research work on the fossils of this district but their report is still in its basic stage. In two villages namely, Ghuguwa and Umaria, some scared stiff stems of older trees earmarked as Gymnosperms & Angiosperms-Monocotyledons. Some Bryophytes are also found there.   There is still a controversy that the fossils found there are of which age.  Either the fossils found are pre Jurassic age or the mid period of Cretaceous age would have been the correct live period of these fossils.  This confusion is still because during the breakup process of asingle land piece of million years ago, the land piece was divided by continental waft and the two portion of main land space came into existence named Laurasia and Gondwana land.  Perhaps these fossils will be of the age of between Cretaceous and Jurassic.  These fossils would be of age according to the split of land mass.

General Information

History

1.According to the age of fossils it is believed that this area was full of various types of forests at that time as the greenery found in Western Ghat and Northern Eastern region of India.  The forests that are hypothecated were of mostly moisture loving nature.  At that time the forestry was very rich

2.constructed of three layers.  The huge trees were the 1st layer as medium size trees or shrubs grown beneath them.  In between both the layers, mostly palm like more variety of trees were there as second layer forestry.
This region is self explanatory about the rough sketch of richness of Madhya Pradesh in the period of million years from today.  Non presence of dicotytledons shows that the plant extinction was just started.  This compete issue needs a deeper study.  This park is located at above seven distributed villages. That’s why it is difficult to take proper care of fossils.  These fossils have no special meanings for locals as their recognition is not an easy and wonderful task for them.  These fossils are either in form of a rock and generally have been excavated by the farmers during their routine work.  Some tourists have also made a serious damage to these fossils as they don’t know how to care the oldest species of plants.  Some of the people who have no value for ancient heritage and they just wanted to be a quick landlord by selling these precious fossils.

There was serious damage found in the village Chargaon and Deori Kohani by the farmers of the villages.  Though, the excavation was done by the villagers not knowingly.  Actually the fossils are in form of rocks are difficult to be judged by the normal people.   They assume it as a piece of soil and nothing more than it.  Some of the people have opinion that if the preservation of this national park is to be done, the managing establishment will have to be set up,  as in absence of a proper administrative body , it is very difficult to maintain the ancient footprints.  The land till where the fossils are found will have to be identified and properly fenced in order to make n alarming sense.  The Jabalpur University will have to be given responsibility to carry out a detailed research work on these fossils.  These steps will be sufficient to save and preserve the ancient foot prints.

It is came out that at that time Narmada river was very short which fell into the sea located above Mandla district.   It is also seems that the great separation of the Angara Land and Gondwana land helped in creation of present rift valley through which the River Narmada and Tapti flows towards Arabian Sea.   It is quite interesting that a recent interest has been emerged in the people to make deeper studies about these fossils found in Mandla district.

Best Time To Visit

This park can be visited any time in the year.  If the monsoon season be avoided it would be better as in rainy season it is very difficult to identify a fossil from its age and significance.  However, the best time is November to May for visiting this national park.

Distance From - National Park

This park is located at a distance of 14 kilometers from Shahpura nd also 76 kilometers away from another big city of the state i.e. Jabalpur.  The national park is located on National Highway number – 11.

How To Get There

To reach this national park one will have to reach Mandla town, from where Shahpura national bus service is available.  In the mid of the route, the park is located.  Though this is not a big township but has better accommodations for the visitors.  In recent past, other fossils have been told declared by Mr. DK Singore, senior teacher of Govt. HSS, Babaia district Mandla.  This location falls under

3.the village Dhangaon (Babaliya) Mandla.   In this fossil location, generally wooden fossils, leaf impressions are found and the area is spread over a 5000 Sqmtr.

Location Of Map

Things To Do In - National Park

Visitors are required to take a visit to the Interpretation center created for detailed information about these fossils.  One can also accompany a guide or self guide to have a look of ancient fossils in their actual and natural position, in which they were at ancient period. 

Weather

The place where this national park is located is called Ghuguwa and this place enjoys the humid and typical equatorial type of climate in the older period and leads to maintain a unique temperature all the year. This place receives an annual rainfall of not less than 2000mm.  It is proved that an ancient time, from this period we got fossils, the rainy period was very long.  

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