Die Seekuh [Earthcache]

The Doberg: A nature protection area in the south-eastern part of Bünde.

Already since the middle of the 18.Century, marl (a mixture of argil and lime) was minded, to manure the fields. The marl of Bünde was used by farmers as fertilizer until the implementation of artificial manure around 1930 and was in great demand. It is told that the farmers within a radius of 4 hours of journey time came, to get this good mixture of argil and lime.



Ein Steilhang des Dobergs


By mining, traces of the flora and in particular of the fauna of the Oligocene were laid open (for example mussels, snails, sea urchins, and fishes). The Oligocene is a geologic epoch of the Tertiary period and extends from about 33.9 million to 23 million years before the present. Because of the eminent discoveries of fossils (amongst others a sea cow (Anomotherium langewieschei) and the cranium of a toothedwhale(Eosqualodon langewieschei )) by Friedrich Langewiesche in 1911 and 1912, the mining of marl was abruptly stopped.
Since that time, this place is ofparticular importancefor geologists, and it is known beyond the frontiers of Germany.
The cranium of the toothedwhale became famous because of the best conservation of a fossil cranium of a whale on the northern hemisphere. This animal lived approximately 27-28 million years ago.
But the real attraction, which was found in the Doberg, is the well-preserved, fossil skeleton of a sea cow. It lived at the same time as the toothed whale, maybe 2 million years later.



Das Skelett der Seekuh im Dobergmuseum


The today fixed stones of sand, lime and argil deposited in nearly horizontal stratums in the ocean or land-based. Based on the systematic recording and ascertainment of the fossils which are covered in the stratums, it is possible to learn about the history of the erstwhile alive world.
When this area was covered by the primordial North Sea, palm trees, maidenhair trees, sequoias, bay, but also pasturages, birch trees, beech trees and oak trees could grow. Rhinoceroses, crocodiles, tortoises and hellbender could live here because the climatic conditions at that time were rather subtropical.

Today the Doberg still comprises old diposits of the complete Oligocene. Bünde possesses one of the most extensivereservoir north of the Alps.

The complete nature protection area of the Doberg is 47,86 hectares in size and since 1912 it is registered.

Personal digging for fossils and climbing up scarps is strictly forbidden to protect this beautiful nature protection area and its erstwhile 500 different animal species!! Today there live alone 85 different bee and wasp species.

Who wants to know more about the Doberg or who wants to see the sea cow in real can visit the museum of Bünde (N 52° 11.718’ E 8° 34.923’)

Persons who answered correctly and who handled these three points are allowed to log this cache.

Point 1: In which year, the Doberg was defined as a place, where (worldwide) the periods of the Oligocene were constituted?
Point 2: What color are on the card, the rocks of the Jurassic period?
Point 3: Take a photo of you in front of the high hill behind the informationboards.

Please send us the answers via email.