The Gobi - Mongolia - page 375

carbon copy of a Tyrannosaurus rex, with a 1.2m-long skull packed with razor-
sharp teeth up to 15cm long.
The Tarbosaurus hit the headlines in 2012 when a full skeleton that had sold for
more than $US1 million was found to have been smuggled illegally from Mongolia
by American paleontologist Eric Prokopi. The skeleton was seized, returned to
Mongolia and put on temporary display until a permanent home can be found for
it. Prokopi pleaded guilty, but was still awaiting sentencing at the time of writing.
He was facing up to 17 years in prison.
Apart from the famous sites of Bayanzag and nearby Togrigiin Shiree, the richest
sites of Bugiin Tsav, Ulaan Tsav, Nemegt Uul and Khermen Tsav are all in the re-
mote west of Ömnögov aimag and impossible to reach without a jeep and dedic-
ated driver (or a helicopter). Locals may approach you at Bayanzag, the ger camps
and even Dalanzadgad to buy dinosaur bones and eggs. Remember that it is highly
illegal to export fossils from Mongolia.
Today the finest collection of Gobi dinosaurs is housed in the American Natural
History Museum ( www.amnh.org ) in New York City, which also has a fine website. At
the time of research Mongolia was planning to build a new Museum of Dinosaurs to
show off its collection, check with the Ulaanbaatar Information Centre ( Click here )
for updates. As for books, check out Dinosaurs of the Flaming Cliffsby American
palaeontologist Michael Novacek. For more information on Roy Chapman
Andrews, read Dragon Hunter, by Charles Galenkamp.
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Bayanzag
Bayanzag (Flaming Cliffs; GPS: N 44°08.311´, E 103°43.667´; admission T1000) , which
means 'rich in saxaul shrubs', is more commonly known as the 'Flaming Cliffs', a name
penned by the palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews. First excavated in 1922, it is
renowned worldwide for the number of dinosaur bones and eggs found in the area,
which you can see in museums around the world.
Even if you are not a 'dinophile', the eerie beauty of the surrounding landscape is a
good reason to visit. It's a classic desert of rock, red sands, scrub, sun and awesome
emptiness. There's not much to do once you're here except explore the area, hire a camel
(per hr/day T10,000/30,000) or grab a cold drink from the souvenir sellers who hang out
on the edge of the cliff.