12/05/2026
In Egypt’s Wadi Al-Hitan, also known as the Valley of the Whales, researchers have uncovered numerous fossil remains of early whales dating back around 37 million years.
Among the discoveries are skeletons of ancient whales that still had functional limbs, showing a stage in evolution when these animals had not fully adapted to life in the ocean. Some specimens reach lengths of over 20 meters, highlighting their size during this transitional phase.
This region was once covered by a prehistoric sea, and the fossils preserved in the desert today provide direct evidence of how marine mammals evolved from land-dwelling ancestors.
The site is now protected and features a museum designed to preserve and display these remains, allowing researchers and visitors to study one of the most important records of whale evolution.
Source
Wadi Al-Hitan research; Egyptian fossil studies
Disclaimer
Dating and interpretations are based on current paleontological research and may be refined with further study.