Although China is a Mecca for paleontological research, nothing valuable will be left for the studies here in a few decades if the current fling at random fossil excavation and smuggling goes unchecked, Chinese scientists warned.

The heavyhearted researchers lodged an appeal for paleontological fossil protection at the 10th annul session of the Chinese Society of Invertebrate Paleontology held from Nov.21 to 23 in Sanming, a city of southeast China's Fujian Province. The meeting was jointly organized by the CAS Institute of Invertebrate Paleontology and Paleonanthropology and the local government.

The rampant illegal unearthing and trading of scientific valuable fossils, which lead to their irevocalbe damages, made it hard for researchers from meseums and research institutions to acquire any important fossils through an normal channel, noted paleontologists. The task of finding a significant specimen for research, display or teaching made them exhausted and frustrated. Moreover, the situation is getting worse.

In their declaration, participants in the meeting called on the central authorities to speed up the legislative efforts to protect the fossils. In order to provide a legal guarantee for their protection, management, excavation, studies and utilization, the statement has made it imperative for the legislature to enact a new law on the protection of such fossils or amend the existing laws on protection of cultural relics as soon as possible.

The researchers made suggestions on improving the administrative system for fossil protection. They pushed for the effort to establish an administrative standing above departmental interests at the national level and its branches at local levels.

The declaration calls for the implementation of systematic surveys on major paleontological sites and their protection by taking urgent measures to protect the sites in danger, and drawing up a long-term plan for such protection.

The declaration also calls for work to enhance the public awareness of the importance of the national legacy so as to raise the legal consciousness of the whole society in their protection.