China, Belgium lately concluded their 6-year cooperation in dinosaur fossil investigation and excavation to have big archaeological finds recovered. It is the biggest of its kind in terms of quantity and quality of fossils ever brought to light in Inner Mongolia, particularly unearthing of the hadrosaurus (dinosaur) species with its mouth shaped like duck's, resulting in the finding of a more detailed family tree of iguanodon.

Sino-Belgium joint dinosaur investigation had been carried out over an area of 60,000 kilometers centering on Eren Basin, Bain Manduhu of Bayannur League and Alxa League in central and western Inner Mongolia. In Eren, four fossils of Probactrosaurus Rozhdestvensky with most complete skulls were unearthed. A fossil belt of more than thousand square meters was also found, with 200 square meters excavated and 8 kinds of ancient vertebrate fossils dug out, including 30 dinosaurs. This is quite rare in the history of fossil excavation, according to Professor Dong Zhiming, a world renowned dinosaur expert.

The investigation has turned out as a landmark in international dinosaur fossil study and researches on other ancient animal species in Inner Mongolia. According to a bilateral accord signed, from 2002 on exhibitions are to be held in China and abroad and a series of books will be published after further studies made. This time's investigation and follow-up studies would provide authoritative data on dinosaur's sudden extinction, the relations between environment and beings, biological evolution as well as ancient climatic and geographical changes. It will be of great significance to the protection of nature and biological study for western China development.

(People's Daily 09/18/2001)