Fascination with dinosaur fossils roars to life in Hong Kong

City's secrets revealed

While the discovery of Hong Kong's first dinosaur fossils has grabbed the headlines, other prehistoric discoveries are nothing new to some residents, with conservation efforts also improving in recent decades.

In 1980, Devonian fish fossils were uncovered in the city's Plover Cove area. The fossils authenticate the rocks' Devonian Period origins and date back roughly 400 million years.

In 2014, a University of Hong Kong student "rediscovered" a 147-million-year-old Jurassic fish among specimens in collections at Stephen Hui Geological Museum. The discovery marked the first identification of a dinosaur-era fish and vertebrate from the Hong Kong area.

On social media, fossil enthusiasts keep providing information and updates about traces of fossils discovered in the city. Many of the finds have been confirmed by academic institutions and official bodies.

A 19-centimeter ammonite, or shelled cephalopod, fossil, is embedded in the marble floor of Taikoo Place — a modern commercial building in Quarry Bay district. Fossils of the shell-like creature, which became extinct approximately 65 million years ago, can also be seen on the wall of the MTR Sha Tin Station, alongside fossils of gastropods.

In 2020, fossils of marine creatures were also discovered in a limestone block used in a wall at the MTR Sunny Bay Station, igniting lively debate on the topic.

One post said a fossil was found embedded in the floor of a shopping mall in Sheung Wan district on Hong Kong Island. "It's so exciting and satisfying when you identify a fossil on your own," a comment under the post reads..

In November, reports of two Hong Kong tourists finding dinosaur egg fossils in Heyuan, a Guangdong city renowned for its abundance of such fossils, made headlines.

One of them, Erik Yip Hang-wing, a guide from the Hong Kong Geological Park who majored in geography, has been leading tours and educational programs since 2010.

Yip said while observing the local red sandstone with his companion, he noticed a distinct feature on a rock surface. Suspecting it might house dinosaur egg fossils, his hunch was later confirmed by experts from a local dinosaur research institute. The veteran guide said he was confident his initial assessment was right, due to his vast experience observing stones and strong interest in earth sciences.