The fossil comes from the species Tarbosaurus baatar, a close relative of Tyrannosaurus rex, which lived in Asia during the Cretaceous period and became extinct 65 million years ago. The fossil is complete and the find has been described as "an exceptional discovery," according to AFP.
The fossil was found in the Gobi Desert and smuggled out of Mongolia via South Korea. It then reached France, where it was seized by customs ten years ago.
But now, in a ceremony led by French Minister Amélie de Montchalin, the skeleton will be returned to Mongolia, which has struggled for decades to curb looting of its many sites. Thousands of ancient fossils have been smuggled out of the country since dinosaur eggs were discovered there in the mid-20th century.
In purely economic terms, the fossil in question is estimated to have a value equivalent to tens of millions of kronor.
