China's biggest fossil reserves, in the northeast’s Liaoning
Province, need urgent protection, warns a paleontologist from the
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
“The western part of Liaoning Province, which yields many rare
fossils, is in great danger because of the rampant private fossil
excavation and smuggling,” says Wang Xiaolin, a researcher with the
CAS Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology
(IVPP).
“The situation is very, very serious at present. Nearly every
possible site has been dug,” says Wang, who is in charge of fossil
exploration in Liaoning and has inspected the region frequently
during the past seven years.
A group of fossils found in western Liaoning Province includes
Confuciusornis, the earliest beaked bird found in the world to
date. Liaoning bird, the oldest ancestor of modern birds, was also
found in the area.
The fossils provide rare evidence for the study of primitive
birds and other living things as well as reconstruction of the
ancient environment.
Some experts believe the region could be the place of origin of
some fishes and insects.
Some of the discoveries at the Liaoning site have had a major
part in convincing the majority of paleontologists that birds share
a common ancestry with dinosaurs.
However, those treasures are in great danger.
Fossil smuggling in western Liaoning has increased and many
precious fossils have been removed.
Chaoyang City, which is the source of abundant fossil resources,
is now covered with signs of careless excavation by local
farmers.
A professor from the Beijing-based Capital Normal
University found many valuable insect fossils scattered
around.
The chance for a handsome profit drives farmers to go searching
for fossils while lax administration gives them an invitation to
engage in fossil trading and smuggling. Some bird and mammal
fossils could fetch enough money to buy an entire building.
Shenyang customs made arrests in one fossil smuggling case in
2002 involving more than 2,300 fossils. Some of them were
originally identified as Grade Two fossils.
“Many of the fossils in foreign shops and museums are from
Liaoning,” says Ren Dong from Capital Normal University.
A simple online search backs him up. There are many Liaoning
fossils being traded on the Internet.
Zhou Zhonghe, from the CAS, estimates that hundreds of
Confuciusornis fossils may have been smuggled out of China since
1990.
About 1,000 such fossils have been found in the past decade, but
only a small part of them are now in institutes and museums. Most
have been smuggled to Japan, Germany and the United States, says
Zhou.
The local government has moved to strengthen fossil protection.
Some fossil markets have been set up in Chaoyang, Jinzhou and Fuxin
to counter the illegal trade.
“All fossil dealers have moved into the specific market. We have
a special office in charge of fossil trading. Only three types of
fossils can be sold,” says Ding Guifu, vice director of Chaoyang’s
Land and Resources Bureau.
But experts argue that such fossil markets have eased problems
but not solved them.
“I absolutely disagree with such a market. So-called legal
fossil trading leads to the rampant private digging. Because if you
want to trade, you must find the goods first,” argues Wang.
Some specialists say that the regulations are incomplete.
“The regulations do not pay enough attention to fossil
protection,” says Zhou Zhonghe.
“What we found is only a small part. Those that are still in the
earth may be more important. The situation requires an immediate
solution,” Zhou asserts.
(China Daily April 20, 2004)