Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve

Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve
Ediacaran fossils, with a penny for size comparison
Map showing the location of Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve
Map showing the location of Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve
Map showing the location of Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve
Map showing the location of Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve
LocationNewfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Nearest citySt. John's
Coordinates46°37′55″N 53°11′25″W / 46.63194°N 53.19028°W / 46.63194; -53.19028
Area5.7 km2 (2.2 sq mi)
Established1984 (1984)
Governing bodyNewfoundland and Labrador Department of Environment and Conservation
Official nameMistaken Point
TypeNatural
Criteriaviii
Designated2016 (40th session)
Reference no.1497
RegionEurope and North America

Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve is a wilderness area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located at the southeastern tip of Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The reserve is home to the namesake Mistaken Point Formation, which contains one of the most diverse and well-preserved collections of Precambrian fossils in the world. Ediacaran fossils discovered at the site constitute the oldest known remnants of multicellular life on Earth.[2]

  1. ^ "Protected Planet | Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve". Protected Planet. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
  2. ^ "Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve". NL Department of Environment and Conservation. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.