Meg Teeth From Peru

[Meghunter.net]

Is it illegal to export megalodon teeth from Peru? I had someone contact me through facebook (in spanish) about purchasing white meg teeth from them and they were in Peru. I am no tooth dealer but I was a little intrigued. I also considered it could be one of those well funded traps that government agencies charged with monitoring sales of these type items sets occasionally. But actually, I have no idea what the actual laws are. I would appreciate any insight.

[jpc]

I'm not 100% sure, but I do think it is illegal to export fossils form Peru. Anyone else know?

[Phoenixflood]

Yes, it is now illegal for them to export them out of the country. They are becoming harder to find.

[THobern]

Yes, it's illegal to export them, but there is no penalty if you're caught; http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17076190/. I'm not sure how seriously to take it though, as it starts off a paleontological article with the word "archaeologists"...

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[cowsharks]

Yes, it's illegal to export them, but there is no penalty if you're caught; http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17076190/. I'm not sure how seriously to take it though, as it starts off a paleontological article with the word "archaeologists"...

'

Has it always been illegal, or did they only recently enact a law making it illegal. The reason for asking is because obviously many people outside of Peru, namely the US, have Peruvian fossils (shark teeth). So, if it was always illegal, that means those fossils snuck out of Peru undetected. Or, if the law was only enatec in recent years, then you can call your Peruvian teeth, "pre-ban", sort of how folks refer to the modern great white teeth/jaws these days.

[Nettuno]

I've been curious of the same thing especially since I noticed within the past month a seller on ebay located in Lima Peru selling shark teeth on a regular basis. I thought selling them for export out of Peru was illegal, and therefore have been assuming it's a scam where the seller would take your money then say the teeth got confiscated so you'd never receive them.

Anybody know what's really up with that?

[Auspex]

I Googled-up some hearsay (unbiassed facts on the practical situation are hard to come by):

According to the AAPS website: "Peru enacted legislation preventing the export of fossils in 1991". I also see comments by sellers that "Peru is strictly enforcing their antiquities laws and collecting, selling, and exporting all fossils in Peru is prohibited" (but this is from a dealer that might have something to gain by enhancing the rarity).

[siteseer]

I remember when I started collecting fossils in the late 80's a few Tucson dealers had Peruvian fossils. There were the Pliocene shark teeth and some marine mammal material (saw a nice penguin-like skull as well); Cretaceous sea urchins and ammonites plus some Early-Middle Miocene shark teeth (Ica material and some small stuff from Alto Grande).

Once it became known it was illegal in the 90's, I saw a lot less of it - just leftovers from previous shows or collectors letting go of extras.

Has it always been illegal, or did they only recently enact a law making it illegal. The reason for asking is because obviously many people outside of Peru, namely the US, have Peruvian fossils (shark teeth). So, if it was always illegal, that means those fossils snuck out of Peru undetected. Or, if the law was only enatec in recent years, then you can call your Peruvian teeth, "pre-ban", sort of how folks refer to the modern great white teeth/jaws these days.

[Megalodon_hunter]

Yes, it's illegal to export them, but there is no penalty if you're caught; http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17076190/. I'm not sure how seriously to take it though, as it starts off a paleontological article with the word "archaeologists"...

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Those teeth almost look new.

[Nicholas]

not sure how seriously to take it though, as it starts off a paleontological article with the word "archaeologists"...

'

Its a common mistake, which as someone going into various fields of Anthropology becomes quite frustrating. The term should only be applied to the anthropological fields if the fossils or animals were interacting with humans of the times, the fossils are human, or the fossils have some significance to ancestry... slightly broader primate fossils can be thrown in with this lot.