Shark Tooth Hill

This area contains one of the most abundant, diverse and well-preserved mid-Miocene marine vertebrate faunas in the world. Over fifty species have been recorded here and it is the type locality for numerous species. The area takes its name from the concentration of sharks' teeth; however, fossils of fish, seals, sea lions, porpoises, whales, turtles and birds have been taken here. The bone beds cover several square kilometers and are found in extensive outcrops in comparatively soft material. The origin of this remarkable concentration is uncertain for many of the larger bones are broken, while very fragile material is well-preserved.

Integrity: As access is good and fossils easy to recover, this area has been over-exploited, and continued heavy, non-scientific use threatens to destroy the beds. Though not substantiated in the literature, the area has a reputation for harboring a disease known as Valley Fever; supposedly the spores are harbored in the area and active work in the substrate leads to a relatively high incidence of the disease.

Use: Private. The area should be protected and collecting controlled to assure its continuing value.

Ref: Rintoul, W.T. Shark Tooth Hill, California. Crossroads Vol. 2, No. 5, p. 7-8.
Mitchell, G. D., 1965. History of Research at Shark Tooth Hill, Kern County, California. Historical Society and Kern County Museum.

April 1975