About the Algarve Dino dawn Flag Expedition

Before a single rock is touched, the dig begins with research and red tape:

• Permits & Land Access: You'll need permission. That means government permits, landowner agreements, and sometimes tribal consultation.
• Geological Survey: We study maps and fossil records to find formations of the right age. Not all dirt is created equal—some layers whisper ancient secrets.
• Environmental Review: You’re not just protecting fossils—you’re avoiding harm to wildlife, habitats, and cultural sites.

Did you know? Many people Google, "Do I need a permit to dig for fossils?" The answer is almost always: yes, and it can take months.

Now we’re in the field, boots on the ground:

• Test Trenches: Shallow digs help us check for rock hardness, layering, and fossil density.
• Rock & Palynology Sampling: We collect rock for lab tests and sediment for pollen analysis to understand the ancient ecosystem.
• Equipment Scouting: Based on soil and rock types, we plan whether we’ll need jackhammers or just a good old pickaxe.

Insider Tip: Pollen grains can survive for millions of years and help date the dig site—who knew flowers could time travel?

This is where science meets logistics:

• Grid System: We lay out the site like a chessboard and label it. Every fossil fragment has a precise coordinate.
• Prioritizing the Dig: Not everything gets dug at once. We go for the richest, most accessible areas first.
• Scheduling & Safety: We factor in weather, supply runs, and even the angle of sunlight to avoid excavation damage.

Top Search Question: “How do paleontologists record where fossils are found?” The answer: with detailed maps, photos, and GPS tagging.

Here’s where the real work happens:

• Overburden Removal: A crawler excavator clears the topsoil with surgical precision.
• Rock Saw Work: We use a cut-and-break saw to carve fossil blocks out like precious stone.
• Plaster Jackets: Burlap soaked in Type III or IV plaster wraps each fossil block like a mummy. We reinforce it with multiple layers, chisel it out, flip it, and wrap the other side.

Pro Tip: Plaster should be mixed thin for the first coat, thick for the outer layers, and always cooled in the shade.

You can’t dig forever—unless you want to become a fossil yourself:

• Label Everything: Each block gets a unique ID, map location, orientation, and field notes.
• Site Protection: We cover exposed areas with breathable tarps and refill holes to prevent erosion.
• Transport & Handoff: Fossils are shipped to a museum or lab where the next phase—preparation and research—begins.

Most Googled Concern: “Where do the fossils go after a dig?” Short answer: to science. Long answer: to researchers, collections, and sometimes museum displays that educate the world.
 

A dinosaur dig is part science, part puzzle, part pure passion. It’s hot, dusty, thrilling work that rewinds time millions of years. When you kneel in the dirt holding the rib of a creature that last breathed in the Triassic, the past suddenly feels very real. 

So now you know: digging up dinosaurs isn’t just about big bones—it’s about careful planning, precise science, and a love for discovery that runs deeper than bedrock.

Before packing up, teams:

• Re-map the excavation area in high detail (GPS, photogrammetry, sometimes drones)
   
• Take detailed notes and photographs of each fossil’s in-situ position
   
• Collect soil and sediment samples from around the fossils (for environmental reconstruction)
   
• Flag any additional leads for future digs
   

This step is crucial — once the site is backfilled or eroded, that context is lost forever.

Fossils, especially in soft sediment or fractured rock, are fragile as hell. Before moving, each specimen is:

• Wrapped in protective tissue
   
• Coated in a consolidant (like Butvar or Paraloid) to harden and preserve cracks
   
• Jacketed in plaster and gauze jackets, forming a protective shell around the specimen and surrounding matrix
   
• For large or awkward shapes: fitted with custom braces, crates, or foam supports
   

Think of it like bubble-wrapping ancient bones — except with science-grade armor.

Each specimen gets:

• A unique field number
   
• A description card with excavation notes, depth, GPS location, geological data, and preliminary ID
   
• Sometimes QR codes or RFID tags for digital tracking
   

This ensures that once it hits the lab, nothing gets mislabeled or decontextualized. You do not want to lose a 232-million-year-old femur to a paperwork mix-up.

Next, it’s time to plan safe transit — not just across terrain, but often across countries.

• Specimens are packed in padded crates with climate buffers to prevent cracking
   
• Detailed customs paperwork is filed (many countries have strict fossil export laws)
   
• Shipments are often routed to staging labs before going to final destinations (e.g. museum collections, academic institutions, isotope or CT labs)
   

Depending on the material’s fragility, some fossils travel with team members on flights to avoid delays or damage.

When fossils hit the lab, the real magic starts:

• Jackets are gently removed
   
• Fossils are prepped, scanned, and stabilized further
   
• Samples go off to isotope labs, microfossil labs, or histology departments
   
• And then, the publishing race begins: naming species, presenting findings, rewriting textbooks
   

Back at basecamp, teams:

• Debrief and document findings
   
• Review stratigraphy and site logs
   
• Coordinate media and press releases if big discoveries were made
   
• Start prepping for funding the next field season
   

Some team members begin museum exhibit planning before the fossils are even cleaned.

Your donation helps cover:

• plaster and gauze jackets and archival materials
   
• Climate-safe shipping crates and customs handling
   
• Lab fees for scanning, prepping, and conserving fossils
   

Sponsor a Fossil:
We will send updates on where it’s going, what’s being found, and how it contributes to the science of the Carnian Pluvial Episode.

Be a Part of something huge.