Why not finders-keepers?
One of the first specimens ever given to the Museum is a 30,000 year old fossil Mastodon bone. It was donated in 1835, and several million museum visitors have marvelled at it. In our time, this fossil bone has sparked new excitement. An archaeologist has noticed small gouges that might have been made by stone tools during butchering.

Is this fossil bone really a clue to Nova Scotia's first people, or were the gouges simply made by the blade of a pioneer's plow? Only the fossil itself and the scientists' instruments can give us the answer.

Personal collections of fossils are often well cared for and bring much pleasure to the finder's family and friends, but they are usually not available to other people for study or enjoyment. Fossils in a desk drawer cannot tell their story to a researcher or excite the curiosity of a child. Preserving, studying and interpreting fossils is one of the responsibilities of the Nova Scotia Museum. The Museum serves the people of Nova Scotia; with your help Museum staff can look after these important pieces of our heritage and keep them available for all of us and for future generations.

Like the Mastodon bone, many fossils have been cared for in museums for more than a century. Every year, thousands of people see and enjoy them. Where will your personal collection of fossils be 100 years from now?

Why shouldn't I remove fossils myself and give them to the Museum?
Once a site is disturbed, it cannot be put back together. The position of a fossil in a site (its context) may tell a critical part of its story. Palaeontologists need to know whether one fossil was found above or below another, or whether two items were found side-by-side. A professional "dig" may involve scientists and amateur palaeontologists working carefully to excavate bits of rock. The whole area is studied and detailed notes are taken. These provide the clues needed to understand how the fossil was preserved, why it ended up in that place, and even what the conditions were like at the time. There is only one chance to record this vital information.

What should I do if I find a fossil?
You may collect one or two loose fossils. Do not disturb anything still in the bedrock. Record whatever you can - exactly where it was found, who collected it and when, and any other information that might be helpful. When you get a chance, send or bring the fossils and information to the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History in Halifax, or the Fundy Geological Museum in Parrsboro. Museum staff will help you find information about the specimen and the site. If one of your fossils is found to be especially important, it might become part of the provincial collection, with your name on record as the discoverer. It could be preserved or displayed at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History or the Fundy Geological Museum, featured on this Fossils of Nova Scotia Web Site, provided to your local museum for display or used in educational programs. Often fossils are studied and photographed, then returned to you.

Who can get a Heritage Permit and do an excavation?
Anyone who has a plan for an organized investigation of a palaeontological site may apply for a permit. Heritage Research Permits are issued under the authority of the Minister of Education and Culture.

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