Victory Against Illegal Fossil Smuggling
A ceremony was held this week in New York to mark the return of twenty-three dinosaur fossils to Mongolia. Investigators from U.S. Immigration and Customs were able to retrieve the illegally smuggled fossils, from Wyoming and from New York, the specimens were handed over to officials representing the Mongolian government.
Dinosaur Fossils
A Fossil of the Basal Horned Dinosaur Protoceratops
Protoceratops – the favourite dinosaur amongst Everything Dinosaur team members.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Removal Fossils from Mongolia
It has been illegal for many years for such important artefacts to leave Mongolia, however, despite stringent attempts by the authorities fossil smuggling, especially dinosaur fossil smuggling is rife. Smugglers, excavators and middle men can earn thousands of U.S. dollars via the black market in rare items such as dinosaur skulls, fossil eggs and dinosaur bones.
One of the exhibits being returned is a beautifully preserved dinosaur nest containing fourteen little dinosaur eggs (see picture below)
A Dinosaur Egg (Theropoda)
A dinosaur egg (believed to be from a theropod dinosaur).
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
For dinosaur models and figures: Dinosaur Models and Figures.
Commenting on the Repatriation
Many of the items have been extensively prepared and mounted ready for display in private collections. Commenting on the success of the fossil recovery operation a spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:
“We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the parties involved in achieving such a successful conclusion to this investigation. International co-operation and understanding is helping to stem the flow of illegal fossils being smuggled out of Mongolia.
The haul also contains the mounted skull of a member of the Tyrannosauridae (Tyrannosaur family), the dinosaur concerned is Alioramus remotus, this lightly-built predator is only known from a few fragmentary, scrappy remains so the return of skull material to Mongolia, permitting scientists to study this fossil in detail is particularly significant.
The Alioramus remotus Skull Being Repatriated to Mongolia
A very toothy tyrannosaurid.
Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
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