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Resurrection of the Lion King
An extraordinary discovery in a remote network of caves on Australia's vast Nullarbor Plain is providing valuable insight into life in primaeval times.

A ferocious carnivorous marsupial lion, a wombat the size of a pony, kangaroos up to three metres tall – it all sounds like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster. However, animals such as these roamed Australia until around 46,000 years ago and, following an exciting discovery earlier this year, are now the subject of a major research programme.

Operation Leo, being led by the Western Australian Museum and partnered by the Rio Tinto WA Future Fund, is expected to reveal when and how Australia's megafauna lived and died and how certain modern species evolved.

The discovery of three caves housing the fossils of the Thylacoleo, a marsupial lion, and other extinct giant animals – known as megafauna – was made on Australia's rugged Nullarbor Plain in May 2002.

The caves were a remarkable find by some part time speleologists (cavers), including Father Ken Boland, a Melbourne priest who is also a flying instructor. While searching for caves from an ultra light aircraft, Father Boland and his team spotted about 150 geological "features" on the Plain. In conducting a follow-up ground survey, the cavers discovered a network of sinkholes and caves, some of which contained a treasure trove of fossils.

These sinkholes had become death traps for animals that fell in and then crawled to cave extensions to die. The stable, dry and dark conditions of the caves were perfect for preserving the fossil remains.



Resurrection of the Lion King An extraordinary discovery in a remote network of caves on Australia's vast Nullarbor Plain is providing valuable insight into life in primaeval times. A ferocious carnivorous marsupial lion, a wombat the size of a pony, kangaroos up to three metres tall – it all sounds like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster. However, animals such as these roamed Australia until around 46,000 years ago and, following an exciting discovery earlier this year, are now the subject of a major research programme. Operation Leo, being led by the Western Australian Museum and partnered by the Rio Tinto WA Future Fund, is expected to reveal when and how Australia's megafauna lived and died and how certain modern species evolved. The discovery of three caves housing the fossils of the Thylacoleo, a marsupial lion, and other extinct giant animals – known as megafauna – was made on Australia's rugged Nullarbor Plain in May 2002. The caves were a remarkable find by some part time speleologists (cavers), including Father Ken Boland, a Melbourne priest who is also a flying instructor. While searching for caves from an ultra light aircraft, Father Boland and his team spotted about 150 geological "features" on the Plain. In conducting a follow-up ground survey, the cavers discovered a network of sinkholes and caves, some of which contained a treasure trove of fossils. These sinkholes had become death traps for animals that fell in and then crawled to cave extensions to die. The stable, dry and dark conditions of the caves were perfect for preserving the fossil remains.
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