The Green River Formation, as Rogers' beat is known, draws worldwide interest from scientists and commercial dealers because of its abundant, well-preserved marine specimens. But while paleontologists dig up fossils carefully from the strata, studying under what conditions the animals lived and died, fossil thieves tend to hack away with screwdrivers, shovels or other tools. Fossil sales are booming over the Internet, in rock shops and art galleries. A multi-agency task force called Operation Rock Fish, named after the most common fossil found in Wyoming, has netted several hundred suspects since its creation in 1993. The best way to crack down on fossil stealing is to catch thieves red-handed, but that is difficult in the West.
Paleontologists complain that laws against fossil theft have lagged behind the times.
No maximum punishment exists because the penalty hinges on a fossil's value. If there were a huge black market out there, we would know about it. We welcome your feedback. All rights reserved.