Burgess Shale
Kootenay National Park
The Burgess Shale fossils are...
Old – Over five hundred million years old! Way older than dinosaurs!
Well preserved – You can see all sorts of really fine details! And not just details of bones like most fossils, you can also see eyeballs and guts, brains and more!
Your relatives! – Our ancestry can be traced back to these diverse ocean creatures.
The Burgess Shale fossils are some of the oldest and most complex in the world! They are so important that they have been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These fossils represent a complete ecosystem that existed for only a very short time after the first explosion of multicellular life on earth. We are still making new discoveries and finding new animals, which are changing our understanding of early life and evolution! The Burgess Shale is now part of the larger Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.
Discover the Burgess Shale fossils!
Join Parks Canada for a once in a lifetime adventure
Burgess Shale Virtual Exhibit
Visit the ROM Burgess Shale Website
The Burgess Shale Website contains detailed information, images and digital renderings of animals in the fossil gallery. Digital animations in the virtual sea odyssey bring Burgess Shale creatures to life. You will learn about the science of fossils, current research as well as the history of discoveries. This website was created by Parks Canada and the Royal Ontario Museum.
Discover the Burgess Shale Online Exhibit
The Burgess Shale Online Exhibit on Google Arts & Culture provides an easy to understand introduction to the Burgess Shale. It explores the history of the fossil sites in Yoho and Kootenay national parks and the significance of the fossils found there. This is a great starting point for those interested in joining a guided hike or looking for a quick introduction to the Burgess Shale.
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