Milan: A wildlife photographer has made a huge discovery of dinosaur footprints, dating back about 210 million years, making it some of the oldest footprints ever found.
Dinosaur Footprints Found in Stelvio National Park
Thousands of dinosaur footprints have been found in part of northern Italy known as the Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio Branchi. Experts say they are from enormous herbivores that lived there 210 million years ago in the Triassic period. pic.twitter.com/GVCE1IxyKH
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The footprints were found in Srelvio National Park, near the town of Bormio, close to the Swiss border. The area is also near where events will be held for the 2026-Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Experts believe there may be up to 20, 000 footprints, spread across five kilometers of rocks.
Found by a Wildlife Photographer
The discovery was made by Elio Della Ferrera. He was taking photos of animals like deer and vultures when he noticed strange shapes on the steep rock wall.
Using climbing skills, he moved closer and realised that the shapes looks smiliar to dinosaur footprints. He then called the experts.
“This time reality really surpasses fantasy,’’ said Cristiano Dal Sasso, a paleontologist at Milan’s Natural History Museum.
About the Dinosaur Footprints
The dinosaur prints are believed to have been made by long-necked bipedal herbivores that were up to 10 meters (33 feet) long, weighing up to four tons, similar to a Plateosaurus.
Some of the tracks were 40 centimeters wide, with visible claws. The footprints indicated that the dinosaurs traveled in packs, and they sometimes stopped in circular formations, possibly as a protective measure.
“There are undeniable traces of individuals that have walked at a slow, calm, quiet rhythmic pace, without running,’’ Dal Sasso told a press conference.
The footprints are located 2400 to 2800 meters (7900-9200 feet) above sea level on a shaded, north-facing rock wall. Because of this hard-to-spot location, the tracks remained hidden for millions of years.
Discovery Called “Gift for the Olympics”
Lombardy regional governor, Attilio Fontana, hailed the discovery as a “gift for the Olympics,” even if the site is too remote to access in the winter, and plans for eventual public access have not been made.
