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)