All over the world, fossils are being discovered, not by
paleontologists, but by men and women who dig the bones for profit.
Many mount major excursions and bring along teams of experts, while others go it alone and steal the bones. That is the source of the majority of the controversy. In countries like China, Morocco, and even the United States, peasants are ripping fossilized remains out of protected land and selling them. Some amateur
paleontologists are honest businessmen, but the issue deals with those who sell them to make a quick buck. Most amateurs do not care about the scientific information that could be gained by a group of trained paleontologists excavating the same site. Professionals have the fossil's best interests at heart when they dig, not just how much that particular one would sell for. Many of the
discoveries are not even documented, but sold directly to the highest bidder. If more people understood the scientific significance of these discoveries, they would come to appreciate where the true value of fossils resides.