The most famous fossil in Val Gardena is definitely the ichthyosaur found on the Seceda mountain. This large marine reptile, around 5 meters long, was the largest predator of its time (241-240 million years ago). As much of its skeleton is missing, it cannot definitely be allocated to a specific genus. Yet it remains a very significant discovery, as it is practically unique in the Early Ladinian period, a time of crisis for these marine reptiles.

A footprint in the wet sand that time has turned into today's Val Gardena Sandstone is all that is left of the Pareiasauroidea, a large and stocky primitive reptile that grazed off foliage near rivers and streams. This creature can be regarded as a type of Permian 'cow', even though grass didn't exist at the time - only ferns and other plants, such as the Ortiseia conifer.