<
https://theconversation.com/bones-of-contention-the-west-coast-whale-fossil-and-the-ethics-of-private-collecting-193387>
"The past can inform the present in more ways than one.
Take the case of the 23-million-year-old whale fossil recently excavated by a
private collector on the West Coast of the South Island. It has angered Karamea
locals and Ngāti Waewae, who viewed the fossil as a treasured local attraction,
and has led to a police investigation.
Despite the upset it caused, the actual legal situation remains unclear. But
the incident has generated significant local and international media attention,
and raised questions about the role and ethics of private fossil collecting and
trading.
In the process, it has reminded us of the way palaeontology provides a unique
window into the history of life on Earth, revealing how plants and animals have
adapted to our dynamic geological, climatic and human history.
Nearly all species that ever existed are now extinct. Yet their remains are
sparse and often destroyed by natural processes or human activity before they
can be appreciated or studied. The world is simply too vast, and
palaeontologists too few in number, to keep track."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
