The exhibition of bonesAnkylosaure au Pailhac Dinosaur Museum provokes the indignation of the international scientific community. Seven fossils of Spicomellus afer, extracted in 2021 from the region of Boulahfa au Moroccan Middle Atlas, are at the heart of a controversy which highlights the problem of trafficking in paleontological heritage.
These exceptional remains, more than 150 million years old, represent a unique species in the world according to Moroccan and European experts. The owner of the Swiss museum, Stefan Friedenhad initially praised this unique exhibition, called “ Jurassic stars“, emphasizing the authenticity of the pieces confirmed by tomography.
The presentation of these specimens, however, aroused strong protests. Susannah Maidment, professor of paleontology at the Natural History Museum in London, denounces the illegal export of these pieces from Moroccan territory. This specialist, who had participated in research on dinosaurs in the Boulahfa region, publicly expressed her dismay on the social network X.
Local actors are also mobilizing. A collective of young people involved in tourism in the province of Bulimane points to a possible transaction during auctions in Spain. Omar Zafatya researcher who contributed to the study of the region’s dinosaurs, insists on the urgency of protecting this natural heritage against pillaging.
Faced with growing pressure, Stefan Frieden finally announced the upcoming repatriation of the fossils to the Morocco. This decision, communicated on the museum’s social networks, provides for a collaboration with renowned paleontologists to ensure the transfer of specimens to a Moroccan paleontology institute.
