Scientists have discovered a dinosaur footprint measuring approximately 1.7 metres in an isolated area of Australia’s north-western coast. It may be the largest dinosaur footprint in the world, Reuters reports.
The footprint of a giant sauropod is among 21 types of dinosaur tracks discovered on the Dampier Peninsula in Western Australia.
“They are larger than anything else discovered anywhere in the world,” said Steve Salisbury, lead author of a collaborative study by researchers from the University of Queensland and James Cook University.
Sauropods were herbivorous dinosaurs with very long necks that allowed them to reach leaves high in trees. They had four strong legs, enormous bodies and powerful tails used for balance and defence. Sauropod footprints measuring 1.2 metres in length were discovered in Germany in 2015.
According to Salisbury, the rocks containing the Dampier Peninsula footprints are 127–144 million years old, predating dinosaur fossils previously discovered in Australia.
In the same area, Australian researchers also found footprints left by six carnivorous dinosaur species and tracks of an armoured stegosaur.
The study was initiated by the Goolarabooloo Aboriginal community, who knew of the footprints and feared that industrial projects could destroy them.
Drones and light aircraft were used to photograph the dinosaur tracks on the Dampier Peninsula, a region known for rugged terrain, difficult weather conditions and strong tides.
Sources: Reuters
