The 'head' may have been created during a short period of fast erosion immediately following intense rainfall. Although the image appears to be a convex feature, it is actually concave – that is, a valley, which is formed by erosion on a stratum of clay, and is an instance of the Hollow-Face illusion. Its age is estimated to be in the hundreds of years at a minimum. The feature was discovered in 2005 by Lynn Hickox during the Google Earth project when they used satellite imagery and reproduced them in 3-D which led to the identification of the natural world. The Guardian is regarded as one of Google Earth’s most remarkable finds. The precise location of the Badlands Guardian on Google Earth is at the coordinates (50° 0'38.20'N, 110° 06' 48.32'W). The area covered by the Badlands Guardian is an arid land. It receives little but intense showers of rain. It has sparse vegetation and soft, clay soil. In 2006 suitable names were canvassed by CBC Radio One program As It Happens. Out of 50 names submitted, seven were suggested to the Cypress County Council. They altered the suggested 'Guardian of the Badlands' to become Badlands Guardian. It is listed as the seventh of the top ten Google Earth finds by Time magazine. The Badlands’ Guardian is near Medicine Hat in the south-east of Alberta and not far from the border with the USA. The location of the geological wonder is very remote, in an area that has been traditionally the home of the Siska First Nation People, often known as the Blackfoot tribes. The Badlands are desolate terrain of gullies, chasms, sinkholes, and hills. They were formed during the end of the last Ice Age when glacial meltwater created valleys and steeps slopes out of the sedimentary rock and clay soil. The effect of wind and water on these landscapes means that they are constantly changing. Winds and heavy rains carve channels in the rocks relatively quickly. The constant erosion of the light sedimentary soil and clay means that there are many unique and strange geomorphic features and topographies which have intrigued people since the arrival of the First Nations. It can be seen by air above the Medicine Hat area in Alberta, Canada.īadlands are found in several areas of North America.The Badlands Guardian is a famous image of a human head said to be wearing aboriginal headgear and earphones. Besides the belief that it is a geographic formation, there is a myth that ancient aliens formed it. The current threat to the Badlands Guardian is the drilling of natural gas in the area. The probability of it becoming a tourist destination is still low. The Badlands Guardian is an image with the semblance of a human head wearing indigenous Canadian headdress. The individual looks like to be wearing earphones and it faces west. The “face” measures 255 meters across and 225 meters in length. Apparently, the “earphones” are a road and an oil well built in its vicinity. For one to observe this geological feature, they have to see it from the air. Although the Indian head features a lot of humanoid characteristics, man cannot take credit for its formation. The reason for this is that no human being has ever been a part of its creation. The head of the image is a drainage feature resulting from rainwater erosion of the clay-rich soil surrounding it. Watching the image, one can see its mouth, nose, eye, and outlines of the eyebrow, neck, and shoulders. Some people have suggested that the image resembles ancient Mayan art.

There’s a legend that states that ancient aliens may have been responsible for its formation. Whatever the case, the Badlands Guardian is the epitome of a geological wonder.

Badlands guardian coordinates