Laws regarding African dinosaur fossils

[Dean L]

Hi. I was wondering if anyone knows about the laws regarding purchase of dinosaur fossils from Morocco, Niger or other African locations. It seems that they could be legally prohibited but these are some of the most common locations I see fossils for sale from. Also many places selling them are large legit companies that say they were legally collected. I have read that it sounds like Morocco does have ability to export but only with certain registered dealers but I’m not sure. I was wondering this because I would like to add fossils from some of these dinosaurs to my collection but I don’t want to do anything sketchy. Thanks in advance for any info on this!

[Kane]

Your best bet is to contact the customs officials in the respective countries to obtain that information from a primary source. This is preferable to obtaining legal information here as it may be anecdotal or out of date. 

[Dean L]

Thanks! I will try to contact their customs.

[Troodon]

I believe the laws are in place but in practice from Morocco, what I've observed, is the focus has been on restricting articulated specimens versus isolated bones and teeth.   The Tucson show which opens in a month is typically full of Moroccan isolated material.  Will see if anything changes at this event, I doubt it will.

[jpc]

Having spent some time in Niger, i can tell you that it is illegal to take fossils, at least fossil bones and teeth, out of Niger without an export permit.  I don’t know about inverts.  

[rocket]

we´ve heard that it is forbidden now with vertrebrate fossils from Morocco and most of the other african countries. Have not read the law, when I get it (all know about, no one has...) one day. We got the info from moroccean dealers who are bit afraid at the moment. They stopped to sell and ship Teeths and skeletons. But, when I look on some big platforms and go to fairs (Ste Marie, Munich...) I sometime think to see more skeletons than before...

Let´s see what´s going on in Tucson next year

[rocket]

we´ve heard that it is forbidden now with vertrebrate fossils from Morocco and most of the other african countries. Have not read the law, when I get it (all know about, no one has...) one day. We got the info from moroccean dealers who are bit afraid at the moment. They stopped to sell and ship Teeths and skeletons. But, when I look on some big platforms and go to fairs (Ste Marie, Munich...) I sometime think to see more skeletons than before...

Let´s see what´s going on in Tucson next year

[Dean L]

Thanks everyone for the information! It helps me understand more about the laws in these countries. There are so many awesome Dino fossils from these places!

[Vleuver]

Don't forget laws are in constant development. I know Niger has some export issues right now.

[jpc]

2 hours ago, Vleuver said:

Don't forget laws are in constant development. I know Niger has some export issues right now.

... export issues?

[jdp]

Most countries in North Africa have export bans or require permitting. Morocco is the most "permissive" in that its laws allow for export of certain common and scientifically unimportant fossils for commercial purposes, but a lot of exporters (and paleontologists in Europe and elsewhere) have really abused that system to the extent that the Moroccan government is now cracking down on it. We'll see how things turn out when the dust settles.

[rocket]

some days ago I have heard that Niger decided (or thinks about) legalizing fossil export to do some money. There are millions and millions of bones around, claws, teeth and whatever...

Parts of the country are full of it. If it is like we have heard, that Niger will legalize to export some of them it will be a good decision. Better to make money to educate children and help the economy than to have tons of eroded bones. (yes, some people will say that lot of the money will go to people who do not need or do not have the best ideas what happens with it..., but I am sure this could really help).

But, we have only heard from some diggers that it should happen. Might be one of the TFF members knows more?

thanks for comments

[Kane]

10 minutes ago, rocket said:

some days ago I have heard that Niger decided (or thinks about) legalizing fossil export to do some money. There are millions and millions of bones around, claws, teeth and whatever...

Parts of the country are full of it. If it is like we have heard, that Niger will legalize to export some of them it will be a good decision. Better to make money to educate children and help the economy than to have tons of eroded bones. (yes, some people will say that lot of the money will go to people who do not need or do not have the best ideas what happens with it..., but I am sure this could really help).

But, we have only heard from some diggers that it should happen. Might be one of the TFF members knows more?

thanks for comments

Interestingly enough, ECOWAS lifted all sanctions on the Niger government that were in place after the military coup in the summer. The vast bulk of their economy is hitched to their mining operations (such as uranium via Orano and Global Atomic). The Minister of Mines a few weeks ago stated that any new permits would be thoroughly reviewed, with some fearing that might mean nationalization of mining assets. 

 

I'm not sure if fossils will play a powerful role here, but I do know the sanctions lift was a humanitarian gesture (most of Niger's electricity is supplied by Nigeria), and possibly to prevent the kind of isolated scenario where Niger buddies up with Mali and Burkina Faso as its own bloc (each of these nations had their own military coups as well).