Why Have Dinosaur Fossils Never Been Found in Indonesia? Here's the Answer

Mengapa Fosil Dinosaurus Tak Pernah Ditemukan di Indonesia? Ini Jawabannya

"Why Have Dinosaur Fossils Never Been Found in Indonesia? Here's the Answer"

As one of the largest countries in Southeast Asia, Indonesia has a diverse geological historical heritage. Despite encompassing some of the oldest rocks in the world and various sites that potentially contain fossils, there have been no dinosaur fossil discoveries in Indonesia to date.

The term dinosaur was introduced by Sir Richard Owen and originated from the Greek language, with "denos" meaning big, scary, strong, and "sairos" meaning lizard. It is estimated that dinosaurs lived on Earth about 245 million years ago.

Why Have Dinosaur Fossils Never Been Found in Indonesia? Here's the Answer

A paleontology lecturer at Flinders University, John Long, revealed that currently, there are about 900 recognized species of dinosaurs. The validity of these species depends on scientific confirmation and the availability of sufficient fossil evidence to support their status as a species.

It is said by experts that dinosaurs became extinct after a meteor shower occurred about 65 million years ago, when a 15-kilometer diameter asteroid hit the Earth.

The impact of the collision is equivalent to the explosive force generated by 10 billion Hiroshima bombs. This shockwave triggered the formation of the Chicxulub crater beneath the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. As reported by the Nationworldnews website, it is known that dinosaurs lived during three periods in the Mesozoic era, namely the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. The Triassic period lasted from about 252 to 201 million years ago, the Jurassic period from about 210 to 145 million years ago, and the Cretaceous period from 145 to 66 million years ago.

It should be noted that, during these three periods, most of the Indonesian territory was still submerged by the sea and only experienced formation about 30 million years ago.

Only the island of Kalimantan from the entire territory of Indonesia is included in the Eurasian part of the Mesozoic Era.

"Unfortunately, the search for dinosaur fossils on the island of Kalimantan has become difficult because most of its areas consist of peat soil, and research requires significant investment."

Belief is reinforced by the view that during the Mesozoic era, dinosaurs tended to avoid areas around the equator. This is due to the hot and dry conditions in the equatorial region. Additionally, these areas also have high levels of carbon dioxide, which can trigger wildfires. Another cause is the lack of awareness and interest in paleontology among the community.

As reported by the Seasia website, unlike countries like the United States and China, where dinosaur fossils have become a popular attraction and a source of national pride, paleontology has not yet become a primary focus in Indonesia.

The lack of interest in fossils among the public has resulted in a lack of motivation for the government to establish a special fund for dinosaur fossil research.

Other reasons that clarify the lack of funding for dinosaur fossil research in Indonesia are the existence of political and economic priorities.

Faced with pressing challenges such as poverty, healthcare, and education, the government has priorities other than allocating investments for paleontological research. Not only that, the economic benefits of dinosaur fossil discoveries are not fully understood by the general public, resulting in a lack of incentive for the government to allocate special funds for paleontological research.

"Other more pressing issues"

"Indonesia, besides having abundant biodiversity, is also confronted with a number of pressing environmental issues, such as deforestation and illegal wildlife trade. These issues are considered more urgent and of higher priority than paleontological research."

"Limitations in the field of paleontology"

Another obstacle in the formation of funds for dinosaur fossil research in Indonesia is the limited infrastructure and expertise in the field of paleontology. The number of paleontologists in Indonesia is considered limited, and they often face challenges in accessing funding, resources, and necessary equipment.

The limitations in infrastructure and expertise make it difficult to carry out paleontological research and maintain fossil sustainability.

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