A wildlife photographer recently discovered thousands of dinosaur footprints dating back about 200 million years on a near-vertical rock face in Stelvio National Park in the Italian Alps. The tracks, located more than 2,000 meters above sea level, were found while the photographer was observing deer and bearded vultures. Paleontologists describe the site as one of the largest and oldest footprint locations in Italy. The area was once a warm, shallow lagoon along the edge of the ancient Tethys Ocean. The prints, preserved in fine detail including toe and claw marks, were made by large, long-necked herbivorous dinosaurs, likely plateosaurs. These animals appear to have used the tidal flats regularly, creating overlapping trails across several kilometers. Geological processes later lifted and tilted the seabed into the steep cliffs seen today. Researchers plan to study the inaccessible site using drones and remote sensing technology in the coming years.
