Scylla Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 So Sir David Attenborough finds a shark tooth in Malta in the 1960's. He gives it to a seven year old recently and now the Maltese government wants it back. Maybe they can trade for the falcon? LINK to ARTICLE 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Praefectus Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Really??? For one shark tooth? Image Source 2 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miocene_Mason Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 I get the whole anti-colonialism thing, but this is not a rare, scientifically significant fossil. It’s not like Malta has an institution actively fossil collecting and studying their fossils/formations. 1 “...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin Happy hunting, Mason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrehistoricWonders Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 let the kid have his tooth and try and find one of the several thousand megs in your country. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gizmo Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Very petty on Malta's part, playing politics. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankh8147 Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Well, it could be worse.. at least it isn't a reptile tooth (can of worms - OPENED!). But seriously, that's just ridiculous, give the kid the tooth! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notidanodon Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 That’s ridiculous and doesn’t shine a positive light on the Maltese government, it’s not rare and to me is just petty I don’t get the point other than making an example which could be done in a million better ways 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 It doesn't even look like a particularly good example. It was special to Sir David, who'd found it himself and would have been thrilled at the time, and now he gives it to a young boy to encourage his love of nature. And I absolutely guarantee that if they did get it back and put it in their museum, it would have a big label saying it was "Found by the noted naturalist Sir David Attenborough in 1964 and then given to Prince George of England before being donated to this museum." Grrrrr!!!!!!! 3 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Malta (and the rest of the world) have more pressing issues than tearing a tooth from a 7 year old!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thecosmilia Trichitoma Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 1 It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt -Mark Twain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daves64 Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Don't you just love politics? Now they even try to take things from kids. 1 Accomplishing the impossible means only that the boss will add it to your regular duties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il-Malti Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Excavation and removal of fossils is illegal in Malta according to the Cultural Heritage Act 2002. Prior to that there were the Antiquities (Protection) Act of 1910 and the Antiquities (Protection) Act of 1925, but I don't know whether those laws covered fossils so I'm not sure if Attenborough broke the law or not when he found the shark tooth in the late 1960s. This ridiculous situation seems to have arisen after José Herrera, Malta's Minister for National Heritage, Arts and Local Government, was asked by the Times of Malta "whether there were plans to add the find to the nation's heritage collection." Herrera replied by stating that he would "get the ball rolling", without actually stating how he was planning to get it back. https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/ancient-shark-tooth-gifted-to-prince-could-find-its-way-back-to-malta.820687 When this was reported in local and international media, there was quite a lot of online backlash against the minister's decision in Malta. Government critics such as Matthew Caruana Galizia (son of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a journalist who was murdered in 2017) rightly pointed out that the government should make efforts to stamp out corruption rather than pursuing trivial matters like this shark tooth. https://lovinmalta.com/lifestyle/environment/matthew-caruana-galizia-slams-useless-arts-minister-for-asking-for-royally-gifted-shark-tooth-back/ Earlier today, the culture ministry issued a statement that it will not pursue the matter further, so Prince George can keep the shark tooth. https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/prince-can-keep-ancient-shark-tooth-malta-now-decides-not-to-seek-its.820921 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gizmo Posted September 29, 2020 Share Posted September 29, 2020 Prince George will receive thousands of Meg teeth from well-wishers around the world because of this situation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted September 30, 2020 Author Share Posted September 30, 2020 So the kid gets to keep his fossil! All's well that ends well 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 Article Today about the reversed decision. 2 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollie Bird Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 I think its rich that Malta seemed to care so much about their natural heritage they considered taking a common fossil from a small boy when they allow the slaughter of thousands of migratory birds every year, many of which are endangered (sometimes critically so). Completely undoing conservation work throughout northern Europe. Rant over ;-) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 The island is so tiny, they can't afford to lose a bit of it. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabRatKing Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 Honestly if Sir David did it, it shouldn’t have been an issue in my mind. Call me a hypocrite, but a fellow like him that has benefited millions world wide with science, nature, and by all reports a wonderful personality should be exempt. I mean heck, his brother founded InGen and Jurassic Park... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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