Illegal fossil trade uncovered

Chaoyang City in China's northeastern province of Liaoning is considered a "treasure trove of fossils".

And the rare feathered dinosaurce fossils unearthed here, have attracted not only archeologists, but also, dealers...

CNC correspondents went there to uncover the illegal fossil trade.

PKG

Murong Street is the most famous antique street in Northeast China's Chaoyang City.

Different types of fossil imitations and souvenirs could be found in shops and museums.

But customers want to buy real ones, they should be introduced by an "insider".

SOUNDBITE: Fossil store owner(Cover filming, April 2012)

"If a stranger comes to buy the fossil, he will be refused. We only sell to those introduced by acquaintance. The buyer would be taken to the boss, not here."

(Reporter: Is this the industry rules?) Yes, the shopkeeper has agents. He has to make money."

According to the Regulation on the Protection of Fossils completed in 2012 and released by the Ministry of Land and Resources, it's forbidden to have any kinds fossil trading in China.

Zhang Wanlian, a local fossils protection expert told CNC that driven by high profits, illegal fossil trading in Chaoyang City is booming.

SOUNDBITE: ZHANG WANLIAN, Fossils protection expert

"From stealing and digging, selling, to smuggling, illegal fossil dealers have formed a secret and invisible network. It's not easy to estimate how many people are involved in trafficking."

Behind the bustling market lies a cold reality that the illegal diggers have destroyed many fossil fields-- and those treasured resources never come back.

SOUNDBITE: ZHANG WANLIAN, Fossil protection experts

"From the Mesozoic to the Cenozoic, Chaoyang fossils almost include all of our new generation of these creatures. You can not find any fossil fields like here all over the world. In addition, the fossil resources all have high scientific value. Almost every new research result is based on the finding of new fossil resources."

According to the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) commitment to national research projects, a digging field is a prerequisite for scientific research.

Researcher Wang Xiaolin repeatedly led the examination of excavated fossil fields. He says the region's fossils have encountered its "doomsday".

SOUNDBITE: WANG XIAOLIN, Researcher of CAS

"A lot of places are a pit on a pit, very, very serious. Basically, most of the fossils in western Liaoning Province, there will be many in the mining pits."

Western Liaoning is an underdeveloped area of Liaoning Province.

With more and more fossils being found, local farmers began to earn their living on the geological remains.

SOUNDBITE: Local farmer (Cover filming, April 2012)

"I sell to the fossil dealers. They waited when I was digging. Dealers and farmers each performs their own functions. Thanks to this business, some got very rich."

Experts told CNC that a piece of fossil that first uncovered may bring a scholar from nobody to a blazing star in the archaeology field. Some researchers from both home and abroad sometimes buy the fossils from local merchants or farmers.

These demands pushed fossil digging and smuggling on a crazy track.

However, it is not the only consequence.

Smuggled fossil remains also cause confusions for scientific research as their original place and position could rarely be marked correctly.

SOUNDBITE: WANG XIAOLIN, Researcher of CAS

"During the fossil collection process, some geological information is lost."

SOUNDBITE: REN DONG, Professor, Capital Normal University

"There was a paper about the dragonfly fossil, which was published in the famous British Journal of Paleontology. The French author got the fossil in an auction in France, but the place of origin and position were wrong."

In order to curb such illegal trafficking, Liaoning Province has established many fossils nature reserves including Beipiao and Yixian.

In recent years, the resources protection authority with the public security bureau of Liaoning Province and other relevant departments set up a special group to combat fossil crimes.

However, the fossil fields in Liaoning Province reached ten thousands square kilometers. Fossil diggers always work at night and leave in the morning, and it makes things tougher.

SOUNDBITE: ZHANG WANLIAN, Fossils protection experts

"Government has taken many measures, but the fossil area is too wide. Illegal diggers hide in a secret place and wait to dig at nights. This regulation, however, certainly is not enough to take care of all fossil resources."

According to government officials, the understanding of the significance of protecting fossils should be improved among local people.

In 2011, the Fossil Protection Ordinance was formally implemented. It protects the fossil resources from the legal dimension.