Malta is expressing intent to demand the return of a giant tooth. Famous naturalist and national treasure Sir David Attenborough gave the tooth as a present to Prince George. The tooth comes from a prehistoric shark found in Malta more than 50 years ago.
Kensington Palace released pictures of the delighted seven-year-old holding his present. Sir Attenborough visited the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last weekend for a private viewing of A Life on Our Planet, his new environmental documentary film.
Sir Attenborough found the fossil while on a holiday trip to Malta during the late 1960s. The tooth was embedded in soft yellow limestone and is around 23 million years old. According to experts, the tooth is from a Carcharocles megalodon—a type of giant shark that could grow up to 16 meters or 52 feet.
The citizens of Malta has met the kindly act with consternation. Incidentally, the country was a former British colony until 1964, and the Queen was head of state until 1974.
Calls For Return—A Time For Change?
According to Maltese Culture Minister Jose Herrera, the tooth should be in a local museum.
“There are some artifacts that are important to Maltese natural heritage, which ended up abroad and deserve to be retrieved,” Herrera told the Times of Malta. “We rightly give a lot of attention to historical and artistic artifacts. However, it is not always the case with our natural history. I am determined to direct a change.”
It’s not rare for British royals to receive rare objects as presents. Usually, coming from campaigners who want the objects repatriated to their rightful lands. Many of these famous items were products of looting and plunder by explorers through colonization. For example, some of these famous items include the Koh-i-noor, which is now part of the crown jewels. The jewel, which is the world’s largest diamond, and originates from the Kollur Mine, India. Demands for its return started since India gained its independence from Great Britain in 1947. However, the British government continues to reject these demands.
