How are dinosaur fossils discovered and collected?

To find fossils, paleontologists first carry out an operation called prospecting, which involves hiking while keeping one's eyes focused on the ground in hopes of finding fragments of fossils on the surface. Once a fossil fragment is found, the collector brushes away the loose dirt on the surface to see if more of the specimen is buried in the ground. Awls, rock hammers, chisels, and other tools are used to remove the rock covering the bones to see how much of the skeleton is present. Special glue is applied to the cracks and fractures to hold the fossil together. Next, a trench is dug around the bones so that they sit on a low pedestal. A layer of plaster bandages is wrapped around the bones to create a hard cast. Once the cast hardens, the fossil in is packed for shipment back to the museum.