Mongolia has successfully recovered a collection of significant dinosaur fossils that were illegally smuggled out of the country and subsequently seized by French law enforcement agencies in 2013 and 2015.
The official handover ceremony took place yesterday in Paris. The transfer follows a confirmed investigation by French authorities, which established that the fossils originated from the Mongolian Gobi Desert.
The signing ceremony was attended by Ch.Undram, Mongolia's Minister of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth, and Amélie de Montchalin, France's Minister Delegate for the Budget and Public Accounts, alongside other key officials.
The repatriated collection consists of 29 sets of artifacts. Paleontologists have identified them as fossilized bone fragments of immense scientific value, belonging to species such as Tarbosaurus, Theropods, Ornithomimosaurs, and Hadrosaurs. These creatures roamed the Mongolian Gobi approximately 65 to 70 million years ago.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth, the repatriation effort began in 2016. The successful return marks the conclusion of nearly a decade of close cooperation between French and Mongolian agencies.
Mongolia has successfully recovered a collection of significant dinosaur fossils that were illegally smuggled out of the country and subsequently seized by French law enforcement agencies in 2013 and 2015.
The official handover ceremony took place yesterday in Paris. The transfer follows a confirmed investigation by French authorities, which established that the fossils originated from the Mongolian Gobi Desert.
The signing ceremony was attended by Ch.Undram, Mongolia's Minister of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth, and Amélie de Montchalin, France's Minister Delegate for the Budget and Public Accounts, alongside other key officials.
The repatriated collection consists of 29 sets of artifacts. Paleontologists have identified them as fossilized bone fragments of immense scientific value, belonging to species such as Tarbosaurus, Theropods, Ornithomimosaurs, and Hadrosaurs. These creatures roamed the Mongolian Gobi approximately 65 to 70 million years ago.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth, the repatriation effort began in 2016. The successful return marks the conclusion of nearly a decade of close cooperation between French and Mongolian agencies.