Mongolia makes no bones about crushing fossil theft

Flaming Cliffs, Mongolia

FOR years, herder Gelegrash had a sideline bringing tourists to see a dinosaur skull hidden near the Flaming Cliffs in Mongolia's Gobi desert. Then, one day, it was gone.

It is one of thousands of ancient fossils that have disappeared from the country since American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews - supposedly the inspiration for the movie character Indiana Jones - discovered dinosaur eggs there nearly a century ago.

Paleontologists and smugglers alike have descended on the sands ever since.

Now the Mongolian government is mounting a campaign to reclaim the lost relics, hoping to bring home fossils lo…