There is tremendous public interest in paleontology. Fossils from all over the world are increasingly vulnerable to commercialization. Commercialization has a negative impact on the science of paleontology. Most vertebrate paleontologists feel strongly that vertebrate fossils should remain in the public domain.
Vertebrate fossils bear valuable information about the past.
We believe everyone should benefit from the ways fossils inform us about ancient life, landscapes, climates, and our own place in the history of life. Many kinds of fossils, including those of most vertebrates, are rare. Many organisms are not readily preserved as fossils because they lack hard parts, and only rather unusual sedimentary environments preserve soft parts. Also, organisms can only be preserved where sediments accumulate at a fairly high rate. Most organic remains are not buried fast enough to contribute to the fossil record.