It is a deep depression that was covered with the waters of the Tethian Sea, before it receded into what is currently known as the Mediterranean Sea. Its creatures have been fossilized since the Eocene period, between 56 and 40 million years ago.
There are 406 skeletons, including 205 complete skeletons, dating back forty million years, in addition to the skeletons of many other animals and fish such as: sharks, bony fish, mermaids and dolphins.
The Egyptian government declared Wadi El-Rayan a nature reserve in 1989, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) classified Wadi El-Hitan as a world heritage area in 2005, choosing it as the best world heritage area for whale skeletons and fossil remains. For more, watch the "Dhales" series on our YouTube channel
