A fossil discovery begins a scientific process in which every detail matters, including the area around the find. A fossil and its surroundings reveal what types of plants and animals existed and how they lived, died, and changed, and the rock layer containing a fossil can provide clues about climate change. In the Badlands, fossils are often exposed after rainstorms because the land erodes easily. If a fossil is found, it should not be disturbed; its location should be noted, photographed, and reported on a Visitor Site Report obtained from the Ben Reifel Visitor Center or park entrance stations and then given to a park ranger. The ranger passes the report to the park's paleontologists, who investigate the fossil and its surroundings. Discoveries made by visitors increase knowledge and help paint a vivid picture of life in the Badlands millions of years ago.