Park rangers seek thief who took ‘irreplaceable’ fossils from Capitol Reef

“Irreplaceable” fossils that are roughly 250 million years old were stolen from Capitol Reef National Park, and rangers are asking the public to help find and prosecute those responsible.

The “trace” fossils (which consist of evidence that an organism existed, but not an actual body part) from the Triassic period were taken from the park sometime between August 2017 and August 2018, according to a Tuesday news release from the National Park Service. A photo of what appears to be the stolen fossils shows the footprints of a reptile in a chunk of red rock.

“Vandalism hurts. Some of the oldest and most extensive reptile tracks in the western United States are found within Capitol Reef National Park,” the release said. “Fossils preserve the record of life on Earth and are exceedingly rare.”

Park rangers are offering a reward of $1,000 for information that leads to the identification and prosecution of whomever removed the fossils from Capitol Reef. Anonymous tips may be submitted online at go.nps.gov/SubmitATip, via email at nps_isb@nps.gov, or by calling or texting the tip line at 888-653-0009.

The National Park Service did not respond to an emailed inquiry as of Wednesday afternoon. A phone call to the Capitol Reef visitors center was not immediately answered.

In April, Zion National Park officials said staffers had been working to clean up widespread vandalism, including rock carvings, stickers and graffiti.

from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/wREoayn