"John Day Fossil Beds. No Photoshop required." by Rikki / Julius Reque , public domain
John Day Fossil Beds
National Monument - Oregon
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is a U.S. National Monument in Wheeler and Grant counties in east-central Oregon. Located within the John Day River basin and managed by the National Park Service, the park is known for its well-preserved layers of fossil plants and mammals that lived in the region between the late Eocene, about 45 million years ago, and the late Miocene, about 5 million years ago. The monument consists of three geographically separate units: Sheep Rock, Painted Hills, and Clarno
Official State Map of Oregon. Published by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).
https://www.nps.gov/joda/index.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acadia_National_Park
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is a U.S. National Monument in Wheeler and Grant counties in east-central Oregon. Located within the John Day River basin and managed by the National Park Service, the park is known for its well-preserved layers of fossil plants and mammals that lived in the region between the late Eocene, about 45 million years ago, and the late Miocene, about 5 million years ago. The monument consists of three geographically separate units: Sheep Rock, Painted Hills, and Clarno
Large rhino-like brontotheres roam a semitropical forest. Dog-sized, three-toed horses dart between the trees. The cat-like nimravid and bear dogs stalk their prey. The climate cools and forests alter to dryer grasslands. Saber tooth cats and camels get replaced by mountain lions and deer. Paleontologists learn more about the ancient animals and environment with every new fossil they discover.
John Day Fossil Beds encompasses 14,000 acres in three geographically separated units in Oregon: Sheep Rock Unit, Painted Hills Unit, and Clarno Unit. The Sheep Rock Unit is located between the towns of Dayville and Kimberly. The Painted Hills Unit is located 9 miles northwest of of the town of Mitchell. The Clarno Unit is located on Highway 218 twenty miles west of the town of Fossil.
Historic Cant Ranch Museum
Enjoy the exhibits on the ground floor of the Historic Cant Ranch Museum located in the Sheep Rock Unit. It features artifacts from some of the Native Americans who inhabited the region and stories from homesteaders describing early ranch life. Learn about James and Elizabeth Cant's experience immigrating to John Day Basin from Scotland in the early 1900s, raising a family, and living off the land until their deaths in the early 1970s.
From the HWY 26/HWY 19 junction, drive two miles north on HWY 19 and the museum and parking lot are located on the right-hand side (East side) of the road.
Thomas Condon Visitor Center
Located in the Sheep Rock Unit, the Thomas Condon Visitor Center is a National Park Service research facility containing an outstanding paleontology lab dedicated to the John Day Fossil Beds. Picture windows let you view the working laboratory and collections room with over 60,000 specimens. In the fossil museum gallery, you can walk through nearly 50-million years of the Age of Mammals. Hundreds of fossil specimens are displayed, along with eight large murals depicting plants and animals of the time.
The Thomas Condon Visitor Center is located in the Sheep Rock Unit on Highway 19, two miles north of the junction with Highway 26. It is approximately nine miles northwest of the town of Dayville, Oregon and 19 miles south of the town of Kimberly, Oregon.
Sheep Rock
Sheep Rock
Sheep Rock, with the John Day River in the foreground
Painted Hills
Painted Hills
The Painted Hills on a stormy winter day.
Clarno
Clarno
The Clarno Palisades are remains of ancient volcanic mudslides.
Paleontologist at work
Paleontologist at work
The Thomas Condon Paleontology Center is both a visitor center and research center.
Historic James Cant Ranch Homestead
White house surrounded by green with concrete path leading to the front
Cant Ranch house
2011 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards
Recipients of the 2011 NPS Environmental Achievement Awards
Listening to the Eclipse: National Park Service scientists join Smithsonian, NASA in nationwide project
A solar eclipse is visually stunning, but what will it sound like? NPS scientists will find out by recording sounds in parks across the USA.
An NPS scientist installs audio recording equipment in a lush valley at Valles Caldera NP.
NPS Structural Fire Program Highlights 2014 Intern Accomplishments
NPS Geodiversity Atlas—John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon
Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports.
river and mountain
Geologic Maps in Action—Support Science
<strong>John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon</strong><br> Example of the application of geologic map data to support paleontology research programs.
fossil snail shell
Cant Ranch Historic District Cultural Landscape
The Cant Ranch Historic District is located in the Sheep Rock Unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument established in 1974. The Cant Ranch Historic District, as established in the 1984 National Register nomination, is a 200-acre vernacular landscape that documents early 20th century ranching operations in the John Day River Valley.
Cant Ranch Complex
Wildland Fire in Sagebrush
Sagebrush will burn when the surrounding grasses are dry. With strong winds, fire spreads rapidly with flames sometimes reaching over 30 feet high. While fire easily kills sagebrush, the other plants resprout from protected roots producing lush forage for wildlife and livestock.
Close-up of sagebrush leaves
Arrowhead Adventures
The iconic National Park Service arrowhead emblem was created in 1949 by Dr. Aubrey Neasham. He used symbols to show us ideas and themes important to the National Parks. What do you think they the symbols mean? Find out more by completing this activity and then create your own arrowhead for specifically for John Day Fossil Bed!
a black and white drawing of the National Park Service arrowhead logo
Coloring Pages of John Day Fossil Beds
Unearth fossil animals and plants found at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument by printing your own coloring pages!
two children with an adult are seated and smile while looking up from coloring
Mystery Fossil Game
Explore John Day Fossil Beds National Monument’s website to find amazing fossil animals and plants. Discover the fossils of the John Day Region and learn how Oregon has changed, right from where you already are!
a cat-like animal with saber tooth wearing a ranger hat examines a fossil using a magnify lens
New Paleontologist joins staff at John Day Fossil Beds
After an extensive search, Nick Famoso was selected as the new Chief Paleontologist at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Nick recently completed his PhD at the University of Oregon and is excited to begin his new career with the National Park Service.
Nick Famoso posing with a Flat Stanley
Junior Ranger Program
Become a Junior Ranger! This park is a window into the past with a fossil record spanning nearly 50 million years! Here, the rock layers record the time after dinosaurs went extinct and mammals diversified to dominate the landscape. While visiting the park complete as many activities as you can and turn it in to a Ranger for your badge. The Jr Ranger book cannot be mailed to be worked on outside the park as the visitor center exhibits are necessary to complete the activities.
John Day Fossil Beds junior ranger booklet color shows Painted Hills and sketches of fossil animals
Website Scavenger Hunt
Are you ready to take on the challenge of virtually exploring the park? Explore the park at your home and discover more about the Age of Mammals and Flowering Plants at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.
a cat-like saber-toothed animal wearing a ranger hat examines a newspaper article
Jennifer Cavin, Fossil Preparator at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
Jennifer Cavin has been the fossil preparator at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon, since 2008. Her work involves exposing collected fossils from the surrounding rock, repairing damage to specimens, and other tasks that are intended to preserve and protect fossils for future study and display.
a person in a lab coat working on a fossil
Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Cenozoic Era
The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths.
fossils on display at a visitor center
Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 12, No. 2, Fall 2020
All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul>
fossils on the ground with two people and a mountain in the distance
Series: NPS Environmental Achievement Awards
Since 2002, the National Park Service (NPS) has awarded Environmental Achievement (EA) Awards to recognize staff and partners in the area of environmental preservation, protection and stewardship.
A vehicle charges at an Electric Vehicle charging station at Thomas Edison National Historical Park
Series: Park Uses of Geologic Information
Geologic maps are critical to understanding a national park. Park staff use geologic maps for many purposes. These are just a few examples.
colorful section of a geologic map of bryce canyon
Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 09, No. 1, Spring 2017
All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology News</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul>
NPS Paleontology logo illustration with fossil icons
Paleogene Period—66.0 to 23.0 MYA
Colorful Paleogene rocks are exposed in the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park and the badlands of Badlands and Theodore Roosevelt national parks. Extraordinary Paleogene fossils are found in Fossil Butte and John Day Fossil Beds national monuments, among other parks.
fossil skull with teeth expsoed
Neogene Period—23.0 to 2.58 MYA
Some of the finest Neogene fossils on the planet are found in the rocks of Agate Fossil Beds and Hagerman Fossil Beds national monuments.
fossils on display in a visitor center
Cenozoic Era
The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths.
fossils on display in a visitor center
Scientist Profile: Tom Rodhouse, Ecologist and Project Manager
Meet Tom Rodhouse, ecologist for the Upper Columbia Basin Network. Tom studies the plants and animals of our National Parks, and believes we have an important role to play in protecting these special places. Read about his adventures as a field wildlife biologist, and how he got to be where he is today.
Biologist smiles by sweeping view of green fields, conifer treetops, and snow-capped mountains.
Using GIS Data to Improve Fossil Collection Practices at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument protects geologic formations that contain one of the longest, most continuous fossil records on Earth. Staff were scheduled to prospect for fossils in each of the park's five most productive areas, every four years. Yet the areas were large, and staff availability varied. They were almost never able to stick to the schedule. So they started to wonder: was a four-year cycle really the best way to find the most fossils?
Person kneeling in fossil quarry working with small tools to remove rock matrix from a fossil.
A New Resource for Researching America's Elephants
Mammoths, mastodons, and other proboscideans are among the most familiar fossil organisms. An inventory complied by Jim Mead and others documents the occurrences of these animals in 63 National Park Service units.
photo-illustration of a ranger standing next to a mammoth
Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 13, No. 1, Spring 2021
All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul>
park ranger in uniform
Series: Pacific Ocean Education Team (POET) Newsletters
From 2009 to 2015, the Pacific Ocean Education Team published a series of short newsletters about the health of the ocean at various National Park Service sites in and around the Pacific Ocean. Topics covered included the 2010 tsunami, marine debris, sea star wasting disease, ocean acidification, and more.
Ocean waves wash in from the right onto a forested and rocky shoreline.
POET Newsletter Summer 2010
Pacific Ocean Education Team (POET) newsletter from Winter 2009. Articles include: Stewardship Without Boundaries: Conserving Our Ocean Ecosystem from Baja to the Bering Sea; A Seamless Network of Parks, Sanctuaries, Refuges & Reserves; Life Entwined with the Sea: The Non-Coastal Park Connection; Take the Plunge into Ocean Stewardship; Nearshore Vertebrates in Four Hawaii Parks; and Ocean Stewardship: A Commitment to Collaboration.
Sea stacks rise above ocean waves washing ashore. A wooded ridge rises in the distance.
POET Newsletter Winter 2009
Pacific Ocean Education Team (POET) newsletter from Winter 2009. Articles include: Stewardship Without Boundaries: Conserving Our Ocean Ecosystem from Baja to the Bering Sea; A Seamless Network of Parks, Sanctuaries, Refuges & Reserves; Life Entwined with the Sea: The Non-Coastal Park Connection; Engage Visitors in Ocean Park Stewardship; Inventory Map & Protect Ocean Parks; and Ocean Stewardship: A Commitment to Collaboration for Conservation.
A color map indicating the depth of the Pacific Ocean floor. Darker blue represents deeper oceans.
Elizabeth Cant
Elizabeth Cant was part of a prominent ranching family who from 1918 to 1973 lived in the ranch house that currently sits on the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Drawing on her farming and domestic skills, she journeyed thousands of miles to create a sustainable life for herself and her family.
White shingled house with grass lawn
Volcanic Processes—Lahars
Lahars are volcanic mudflows and are among the most destructive of volcanic phenomena. Lahars present significant geohazards since they can travel great distances down river valleys and impact population centers away from the immediate area of a volcano.
wide river valley filled with sediment and snowy peaks in the distance
Saving Our Sagebrush Sea
A recent study underscores the importance of protecting sagebrush lands in national parks to prevent a national treasure from disappearing.
Sagebrush lands in front of the Teton Range in Wyoming
Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks
Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios.
Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background
Battle of the Bark
Trees shade us from the sun, provide homes for wildlife, stabilize Earth’s surface, and produce food for humans and animals alike. Some are massive, and others are miniscule by comparison, but what makes one better than the other—we’ll let you decide! Check out our iconic trees below and find your favorite!
Five thick barked red-brown trees are backlit by the sunlight.
Top Tips for Visiting John Day Fossil Beds
Top Tips for Visiting John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
Tall pointed volcanic formation with shrubs and a river flowing in the foreground.
Series: Volcano Types
Volcanoes vary in size from small cinder cones that stand only a few hundred feet tall to the most massive mountains on earth.
photo of a volcanic mountain with snow and ice
Fissure Volcanoes
Fissure volcanoes erupt from elongated vents (fissures) rather than a central vent. The lava flows in Craters of the Moon National Monument were erupted from fissures.
aerial photo of a line of volcanic cones and lava flows
Conserving Sagebrush Steppe Across National Parks and Larger Landscapes
Sagebrush steppe is one of the most threatened ecosystems in North America. To aid in conservation, the NPS assembled geodatabases (databases containing geographical and spatial data) for mapping sagebrush steppe in 9 parks in the western U.S. The goal is to facilitate collaborative sagebrush steppe conservation across national park lands and larger steppe landscapes. A Focused Condition Assessment was also produced that focuses on this ecosystem at John Day Fossil Beds NM.
Sagebrush steppe
Pyroclastic Flows and Ignimbrites, and Pyroclastic Surges
Pyroclastic flows and surges are among the most awesome and most destructive of all volcanic phenomena. Pyroclastic flow deposits are found in at least 21 units of the National Park System.
photo of a cloud of ash and dust moving down a mountain side.
Volcanic Ash, Tephra Fall, and Fallout Deposits
Volcanic ash, pumice, and tephra ejected in volcanic eruptions ultimately falls back to Earth where it covers the ground. These deposits may be the thin dustings or may be many tens of feet (meters) thick near an eruptive vent. Volcanic ash and tephra can present geohazards that are present great distances from the erupting volcano.
photo of a bluff with exposed fine-grained volcanic ash and pumice.
Thirty-five-years of partnership: How the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service Co-manage Paleontological Resources in Eastern and Central Oregon
A successful partnership between the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management has helped enhance fossil stewardship in the John Day Basin, Oregon. This partnership spans 35 years and serves as a model of interagency cooperation to support paleontology.
Photo of a person sitting at a laboratory microscope
From Sea to Shining Sea: "Fossils from Your Public Lands" at the Western Science Center
The Western Science Center in Hemet, California serves as a repository for fossils from several land management agencies. It is currently running an exhibit, “Fossils from Your Public Lands”, to showcase examples of these fossils with the cooperation of additional parks and repositories.
Photo of a display case and murals inside of a visitor center.
Studying the Past and Predicting the Future Using Rat Nests
In the western United States, packrat middens are one of the best tools for reconstructing recent environments and climates. These accumulations of plant fragments, small vertebrate remains, rodent droppings, and other fossils can be preserved for more than 50,000 years. Packrat middens have been found in at least 41 National Park Service units.
Photo of a wood rat.
Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 14, No. 2, Fall 2022
All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul>
Photo of a person sitting while using a laboratory microscope.
Series: Geologic Time—Major Divisions and NPS Fossils
The National Park System contains a magnificent record of geologic time because rocks from each period of the geologic time scale are preserved in park landscapes. The geologic time scale is divided into four large periods of time—the Cenozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Paleozoic Era, and The Precambrian.
photo of desert landscape with a petrified wood log on the surface
Series: Women's History in the Pacific West - Columbia-Pacific Northwest Collection
Biographies of women from parks in Washington, Oregon Idaho and far western Montana
Map of Washington, Oregon and Idaho
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding ensures long-term success of native plants in Western U.S. national parks
Thanks to funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, NPS projects in the West hope to collect native seeds to aide in accelerating repairs to damage due to wildfire, mining, flood, or other causes.
A person reaches down into waist high, brown grasses to collect seeds
Series: Using Science to Preserve the Past
Conserving our nation’s rich cultural heritage – the stories, places, traditions, and artifacts that make up the fabric of our shared history – is an important part of the NPS mission. Throughout the Pacific West Region, park archeologists and paleontologists, museum curators, historic preservationists, and more are using scientific practices to better steward the cultural resources they protect. Explore these articles to learn more about their work.
Museum object of cat-like nimravid skull with large incisors
NPS Establishes NPSage Initiative to Restore Sagebrush-Steppe Ecosystems
Artemisia species, commonly known as sagebrush, are far from being the only species on the landscape. The sagebrush biome is composed of a rich mosaic of thousands of diverse plant species, which are largely driven by differences in climate, soil and elevation. These distinct sagebrush plant and animal communities occur in approximately 70 park units across the western U.S— all of which are experiencing significant threats from wildfire and droughts.
Two NPS staff knealing next to plants growing in a nursery
I Didn't Know That!: Biological Soil Crusts
You’ve heard people say to stay on the trail, but what does it matter in the desert? It’s just dirt... right? Wrong—it's alive! Discover what biological soil crusts are and why they're so important in dry environments.
biological soil crust
Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System
To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation.
A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera.
Dragonfly mercury studies uncover unexpected atmospheric delivery pathways
Read the abstract and get the link to a published paper on how dragonfly mercury studies uncover unexpected atmospheric delivery pathways: Janssen, S.E., C.J. Kotalik, J.J. Willacker, M.T. Tate, C. Flanagan Pritz, S.J. Nelson, D.P. Krabbenhoft, D. Walters, and C. Eagles-Smith. 2024. Geographic Drivers of Mercury Entry into Aquatic Foods Webs Revealed by Mercury Stable Isotopes in Dragonfly Larvae. Environmental Science & Technology. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02436
close up of dragonfly larvae on white spoon
Project Profile: Restore Shortgrass Prairie, Sagebrush, & Mesquite Bosque Ecosystems in Intermountain Region & Pacific West Region Parks
The National Park Service is embarking on a significant multi-region project aimed at restoring 700 acres of shortgrass prairie, sagebrush, and mesquite bosque habitat in six Intermountain and Pacific-West region parks. The project will bolster habitat connectivity, enhance resilience, support pollinators and wildlife (including threatened and endangered species), improve soil productivity, and restore hydrologic function.
Two men crouched near juvenile plants in a greenhouse
Saving the Heart of the American West’s Largest Landscape
Sagebrush, America’s most imperiled ecosystem, is half of what it once was. Aided by recent infrastructure funding, a dedicated community of scientists is racing to protect the best of what’s left.
Vast, flat, sagebrush landscape with mountains in the distance viewed from a lichen covered outcrop.
Sagebrush Steppe plant materials to help wildfire recovery across Columbia Plateau, Snake River Plain, and Klamath Basin
In 2024, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR) funds provided funding to support a cooperative effort among Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service staff to collect and produce native sagebrush steppe seeds and plants so that the plant materials necessary to restore this important ecosystem are readily available for post-fire rehabilitation and recovery.
Two young men and a young woman hold paper bags amongst bunchgrass in a high desert area.
Project Profile: Improve Habitat Quality Along John Day River
The National Park Service (NPS) will restore plant health and improve trails along the John Day River in Oregon.
a calm river with a cliff on the left and the pyramid shape of Sheep Rock in the distance
Series: National Fossil Day Logo and Artwork – Prehistoric Life Illustrated
Celebrate the wonderful diversity of fossils!
National Fossil Day Official Logo
Fossils of the 2025 National Fossil Day Artwork
The 2025 National Fossil Day Artwork features a 29-million-year-old Oligocene assemblage of plants and animals from the Turtle Cove Member of the John Day Formation, inspired by new and old discoveries made at John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon.
Artist rendering of prehistoric plants and animals in a mountainous forest scene
“Cracking the code” on mercury bioaccumulation
Read the abstract and get the link to a published paper on a model to predict mercury risk park waterbodies: Kotalik, C.J. et al. 2025. Ecosystem drivers of freshwater mercury bioaccumulation are context-dependent: insights from continental-scale modeling. Environmental Science & Technology. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c07280
A person stands in a field looking at a bug through a magnifying lens.