Like other relics, India’s fossils are at high risk of being sold abroad , Pg2

Key Highlights:

• In 2024, the fossilised vertebrae of Vasuki indicus, a 47-million-year-old giant snake, was discovered in an open coal mine in India.
• Fossils, including dinosaur eggs, are openly sold online and have become trophies for the wealthy, with a stegosaurus selling for $44.6 million at Sotheby’s in 2024.
• India's fossil record, including early plant life, dinosaurs, and ancient human skulls, is at risk due to the absence of laws governing fossils.
• A draft plan for a national fossil repository in India has made little progress, leaving prehistoric treasures vulnerable to theft, vandalism, and auctions abroad.

Detailed Insights:

• India's rich fossil beds are often located in challenging environments like open coal mines, making preservation difficult.
• The absence of a national repository or secure fossil storage in India raises concerns about the fate of significant finds like Vasuki indicus.
• Commercial collection of fossils, particularly Tyrannosaurus rex, is outpacing scientific collection, raising alarms among paleontologists.
• India's unique geological history, including its isolation after splitting from Gondwanaland, makes its fossil record crucial for understanding evolution.
• Private collections, like the Ranga Rao-Obergfell Trust, hold significant unsorted and unstudied fossils, highlighting the need for formal safeguards.
• Enthusiasts like Vishal Verma are acting as custodians, rescuing fossils, but lack resources and face challenges like theft and inadequate protection.
• The lack of laws prohibiting extraction and sale increases the risk of Indian fossils ending up in overseas markets and private collections.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Fossil: Preserved remains or traces of ancient organisms.
• Vertebrae: Bones that make up the spinal column.
• Mesozoic Age: Geological era known as the 'age of reptiles'.
• Gondwanaland: Ancient supercontinent that included India.