Science: Tarbosaurus bataar Sold At Auction Likely to be Returned to Mongolia

Tarbosaurus dinosaur skeleton smuggling America

A skeleton of a Tarbosaurus spectacular rise off which was believed to have been exported to the United States so it can be auctioned may be returned to Mongolia, countries where fossil was first excavated.

Supported by the federal customs officials in the United States seized the fossil specimen of a great centerpiece specialized auction held in New York. Over the last three years or so, there have been a number of fossils and other artifacts auction theme in America, Paris and London. Specimens of dinosaur fossils, especially well prepared and mounted can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Lot auction seized by officials

The exhibition consists of fossils of theropod dinosaur known as Tarbosaurus (Tarbosaurus bataar). The auction was held at Heritage Auctions in New York Sunday, May 20 this year, despite a number of paleontologists and other pressure groups are trying to block the sale. The lot was sold for around £ 630,000 GBP (more than $ 1 million), slightly more than the estimated value of the lot that had been established before the auction began. The skeleton, which is a sub-adult dinosaur and is estimated at about 75 percent complete was bought by an unidentified individual.

Tarbosaurus "Reptile alarming" of Mongolia

Tarbosaurus is a member of the dinosaur family tyrannosaurid. It was a large predator that lived in Mongolia about seventy million years ago in the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian stage fauna). First named and described in 1955 by the Russian paleontologist Evgeny Maleev Alexandrovich. Tarbosaurus is closely linked to the most famous dinosaur of all - Tyrannosaurus rex. Maleev did not the dinosaur Mongol was very similar to the North American T. rex, they shared a number of common features anatomical (autopomorphies). For a time, it was known as dinosaur Tyrannosaurus bataar, but in the 1960s following the revision of the fossil material of two species tyrannosaurid the Tarbosaurus name has been established for this genus. The Tarbosaurus name means "reptile alarming" and a length of more than twelve meters and weighing perhaps up to five tonnes, theropod dinosaur was a formidable predator.

Sold at auction in New York for $ 1 million

For auction in New York, the mounted specimen was described as Tyrannosaurus bataar. Cynics might say that this term has been used to help make the property more valuable and seek higher prices than Tyrannosaurus would have more commercial appeal than the relatively less known Tarbosaurus. However, the sample, if it does come from Mongolia would be a problem for the seller, it is illegal to remove fossils from Mongolia or any other objects of "cultural interest" for over fifty years. This law was in place even before the formal scientific description and review of the fossil material associated with Tarbosaurus.

A number of interested parties have attempted to intervene, either to stop the auction or have the lot impounded until the origin of the fossil could not be established. Mongolian President, Elbegdorj Tsakhia participated insisting that this fossil was owned by the Mongolian people and that he had been illegally smuggled out of the country.

With the fossil material seized and the person who submitted the winning bid in the auction could make their purchase, the fossil material was stored in a secret location under the supervision of customs officials in the United States and team of paleontologists who had been taken to ensure that the fossils could be stored without being damaged.

Believed to have been smuggled out of Mongolia

Exposure Tarbosaurus was examined by paleontologists leading after the auction, if the lot had been seized by federal agents. They stated that the fossil material has most likely originated in Mongolia and therefore the fossils were obtained illegally. The person responsible for placing the initial batch auction had tried to claim skeleton Tarbosaurus in October. It was argued that imported a whole jumble of bones and it was his ability to prepare fossils and make a single specimen which had added value to the dinosaur exhibit.

Federal officials have not validated the figures to show how fossil smuggling is widespread, even the size of the black market for illegally obtained fossils, but it is considered negligible with dinosaur specimens in particular, is very popular.

A number of other dinosaur fossils are believed to have been imported into the United States of America to Mongolia, including fossils of dinosaurs Saurolophus duckbill and Oviraptorid (Oviraptor). Tarbosaurus specimen may be just one of a number of illegal transactions made dinosaur fossils. For example, a feathered dinosaur fossil (Microraptor gui) has been sold in the United States, the original fossil material is believed to have been purchased in China and exported from that country. China has some of the strictest laws regarding the protection elements of the "cultural significance for the country," objects such as fossils and human remains and archaeological finds.

Penalties for smuggling dinosaur fossils

Smuggling and illegal sale of fossil fuels in the United States may be punished by imprisonment or long-term in less serious cases of heavy fines.

A number of governments and other authorities have promised to take action against the vast black market fossils, especially dinosaur fossils. Individual samples, as it Tarbosaurus can sell for huge sums of money and even though no official figures are available, customs officials say smuggling and illegal sale of these items is widespread.

Everything Dinosaur is a company run by parents, teachers and real dinosaur experts. It specializes in the development of educational toys, dinosaur models, clothing and games and strives to help young people learn more about science through their fascination with prehistoric animals. Many of the items featured on the Everything Dinosaur Dinosaur Any website has been designed and tested by the teachers and real dinosaur experts in the company.

Science

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Tarbosaurus bataar Sold At Auction Likely to be Returned to Mongolia

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