Word: rioja
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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...fossils were seized last year by officials of the Argentinian province La Rioja from an expedition which Romer headed. They are valuable, Romer said, because they are all "new animals"--genera and species not know before. They are fossils of small reptiles from the Early Triasic Period, 200-250 million years...
Although all fossil collecting is under control of the Argentinian government, the provincial governor of La Rioja defied the law and issued a personal decree forbidding the removal of any fossils from La Rioja. He was responding to a "they're robbing the province of its natural heritage" campaign which began when the value of the expedition's find became known...
Romer said that several Argentinian papers subsequently criticized the governor's action, "a national scandal." The governor remained adamant until two months ago when he agreed to release the fossils for five years' study. However, the fossils are still in La Rioja. Romer said he expects to get them eventually...