Dragon bone thieves: how China’s centuries-old custom of eating animal fossils drives an underground trade
- Nine people arrested in Gansu over illegal dig and 400kg of fossils confiscated after group allegedly targeted remote area
- While bones sought are from a recent era, some more ancient and rare specimens such as dinosaurs may be caught up in traditional Chinese medicine trade: experts
In rural areas of remote Chinese provinces, law enforcers are cracking down on the clandestine excavation and trade in some of the country’s ancient treasures: animal fossils known as dragon bones.
Gansu’s public security department last month announced nine people had been arrested in the countryside of the northwestern Chinese province, and more than 400kg (880lbs) of fossilised ancient vertebrates confiscated.
The department alleged the group arrested had been active since last year, targeting areas without a communication signal and transport access to dig for fossils to sell.
They say the accused, who were not known to locals and whose accent indicated they were not from the area, raised suspicions among residents who alerted the authorities.
Recent reports show fossils are being looted from various regions of China, including Inner Mongolia autonomous region and the provinces of Ningxia and Yunnan, which are less-developed areas.