FOSSILS from the early Jurassic period uncovered in Langgang District have been stolen and others damaged because of a lack of necessary protection, yesterday's Shenzhen Economic Daily reported.

Debris was seen scattered around the fossil site in Nan'ao Subdistrict while many remaining fossils had been exposed to the air and eroded, the Daily said.

"A 2-meter-high fence was built around the fossil site for its protection, financed by the subdistrict office. However, the budget for protection and maintenance of the area was used up very quickly without financial support from higher levels of government," said an official of the subdistrict office, who declined to be named.

The fence entrance was left open, giving easy access to the fossils which were supposed to be protected by the fence.

The fossils were at the site of a volcanic eruption from the Jurassic period, according to a report produced by the Shenzhen graduate school of Beijing University after a field study was conducted in 2006.

The report said the fossils, mostly of shells and plants, provided invaluable material in the study of the origins of species.

(Wei Jie)