The Karoo rocks have preserved fossil remains for millions of years. This palaeontological treasure trove tells us more about the first mammals, early dinosaurs, and the ancestors of living reptiles such as crocodiles that roamed our country ages ago. New discoveries explain the impact that climate and environmental changes had on these primitive animals, and recent geological research reveals why fossils much like those of the Karoo have been found in India, China and even Antarctica.
Dr Michael Cluver concentrated his research on the dicynodont Lystrosaurus, one of the few Karoo therapsids to survive the end-Permian extinction event. He was Director of the South African Museum and after his retirement in 2007, he continued to work at the Iziko Museum of South Africa.