Permian-Triassic Fossil Parks of Kashmir Himalaya, India: Geological and Paleontological Characterization, and Potential Interest for Geotourism

The Permian-Triassic sections of Kashmir Himalaya holds well-preserved sedimentary succession with fossil assemblages indicating a specific period. Fossil parks are among the primary geotourism attractions that support fossil preservation in-situ. Fossils are gems of paleontology, appearing as the remnants of species from past geological eras, and are prized sources of paleo-environmental history. These non-renewable Earth heritage serves as a conduit for scientific knowledge on historical climate, sedimentary environments, geographic circumstances, relative age determinations, and ecological practices. The extinction catastrophe known as the Permian-Triassic mass extinction event occurred about 251.5 million years ago and marks the transition between the Paleozoic and Mesozoic Periods. It was the most devastating known extinction event on Earth and the greatest of the “Big Five” mass extinctions of the Earth’s history. The fossils and various geological features present at Permian-Triassic sections at Guryul and Mandakpal of Kashmir shed light on the Permian-Triassic (P-T) mass extinction event and preserve crucial knowledge about the effects of previous climate change on the Earth system. Besides, providing information on mass extinction, Guryul and Mandakpal of Kashmir provides a good opportunity for tourists to witness various geological features including fossils, minerals, rocks, caves, seismites, etc. Therefore it is very essential to protect such an area before it gets damaged by local intruders. A crucial step in this regard is the designation of the Permian-Triassic sections of Kashmir Himalaya as a worldwide geoheritage site. The promotion of geotourism is recognized as a global strategy for geoconservation. These prime geoheritage sites must be preserved and promoted for geotourism in order to boost the local economy, as they are significant from scientific, climatic, educational, and geological standpoint.