MONGOLIA’S NATIONAL TREASURE The Gobi Desert is one of the…

MONGOLIA’S NATIONAL TREASURE The Gobi Desert is one of the…

MONGOLIA’S NATIONAL TREASURE

The Gobi Desert is one of the driest, most harsh environments seen on our planet today. It is 1500 km across and spans both northern China and southern Mongolia. Parts of the Gobi have been known to experience wildly changing temperatures throughout the year, ranging from 45 degrees Celsius in summer dropping to -40 degrees in winter. Though it is difficult to imagineanything surviving this type of drastic climate today, the fossil evidence shows that many animals, from the dinosaur era to early hominids have lived and thrived here.

The Gobi Desert in Mongolia is considered as hotbed for dinosaur fossils, with some species, such as the oviraptor, found to occur only here. The fossils are often perfectly preserved due to the dry and cold conditions, and can sometimes be spotted among surface rocks. The ease of locating and excavating these fossils are presently being exploited by opportunistic individuals who have recognized the profitability of dinosaur fossils on the black market. This has severely hindered the processes involved in the scientific discovery of novel species, as portrayed by the recent case of 3 juvenile oviraptorosaurs that were confiscated by Mongolian customs officials. Researchers from Alberta University confirmed that the specimens were previously undescribed, however, improper handling and packaging of the specimens has led to parts of it being destroyed if the protective jacket is removed, meaning that a complete survey of the specimen is no longer possible. Adding to this unfortunate case, because the fossils were collected illegally, there is no documentation of where it was located. The demand for dinosaur fossils has fuelled a recent surge in their illegal trade, with about 18 of these arising out of Mongolia alone.

But Mongolia has fought back. In 2012, the Mongolian president was involved in the retrieval of an illegally procured Tarbosaurus fossil skull from a Texan auction house. Following an arduous legal battle, Eric Prokopi, a palaeontologist from Florida, was found guilty of dealing in Mongolian dinosaur fossils. One of his smuggled specimens, a Tarbosaurus bataar skull, was even purchased by Nicholas Cage (who outbid Leo DiCaprio) at a Beverly Hills auction house. Mr Cage has since returned the fossil, worth $276 000, to Mongolian officials. Prokopi was sentenced to 3 months behind bars for his crimes, following which he has assisted the Mongolian government in retrieving 20 of the smuggled specimens he traded. Mongolia is beginning to realise that much of its natural wealth and cultural heritage lies in its fossils. Local palaeontologist, Bolortsetseg Minjin, has made it her mission to encourage the youth of Mongolia to pursue palaeontological studies and become stewards of the rich prehistoric diversity that Mongolia has to offer. In addition to purchasing a vehicle to traverse the desert seeking out nomadic tribes and educating their youth on the value of fossils, Dr Minjin aims to open 7 dinosaur museums by 2018, each located at a specific fossil region. Together with her education efforts, she hopes this will lead communities to stop poachers from exploiting Mongolia’s national treasures.

KR.

References and Further Reading:

http://bit.ly/2xTnDTl

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gobi_Desert

http://rol.st/2g2c2aO

http://bit.ly/2xMu4Wz

http://bit.ly/2cstuVx

Image: http://bit.ly/2xIT6s4

Image: Tarbosaurus from Mongolia by Jordi Payà from Barcelona, Catalonia – IMG_1252’Uploaded by FunkMonk, CC BY-SA 2.0, http://bit.ly/2x7yXay