Madygen State Natural Monument

This protected site in Kyrgyzstan's Batken region preserves part of the Madygen Formation, a sequence of Middle to Late Triassic rock layers recognized as one of the world's most important windows into life roughly 230 million years ago. More than 30,000 fossils have been recovered here, including over 500 species of insects, remains of early gliding and flying reptiles such as Sharovipteryx and Longisquama, ancient cartilaginous fish, plant remains and trace fossils left by long-vanished animals. The surrounding landscape also exposes an unusually continuous geological record stretching from the Cambrian period to the present day, which can be traced across the terrain within a single day's walk. Because of this exceptional combination of fossil richness and geological continuity, the area is being considered as a candidate for Central Asia's first UNESCO Global Geopark.