This is the location where paleontologists discovered thousands of dinosaur tracks

Scientists studying fossils in South America have uncovered an extensive collection of dinosaur footprints, shedding light on how various species moved along a prehistoric shoreline. Researchers documented almost 18,000 marks at the Carreras Pampa site in Torotoro National Park, central Bolivia. This includes 16,600 footprints, 1,378 swim traces, and several tail impressions, according to a study published in PLOS One.

The ripple patterns of the tracks run northwest to southeast, suggesting the typical movement of dinosaurs and other creatures along the ancient coast. Most prints belong to theropods, a group of bipedal dinosaurs from the Cretaceous period, which includes species such as Tyrannosaurus rex. Some tracks, dating from approximately 145 to 66 million years ago, are believed to have been left by early birds.

Spanning roughly 80,570 square feet, Carreras Pampa contains the world's most extensive and well-preserved collection of dinosaur swim trackways. The site also preserves continuous sequences showing dinosaurs walking, running, swimming, turning sharply, and dragging their tails. Swim tracks likely formed when theropods touched the waterbed with their central toes, creating grooves that appear straight or curved like commas.

Researchers analyzed over 1,275 trackways, noting that unlike most swim-track sites that contain isolated footprints, Carreras Pampa shows alternating left and right foot patterns. The diversity of shapes and sizes indicates multiple species used the ancient coastline as a travel route. Some tracks measured under 4 inches, probably made by smaller theropods or juvenile dinosaurs, while mid-sized species such as Dilophosaurus or Allosaurus left footprints over 12 inches. Larger theropods, including T. rex and Giganotosaurus, created tracks exceeding 16 inches.

Depth variations among the footprints allowed scientists to estimate the size, speed, and gait of the track-makers. Although paleontologists knew of abundant dinosaur footprints in the region, this is the first comprehensive study of Carreras Pampa. Researchers cleared sediment and debris from the site to reveal more tracks and analyze them thoroughly.

Bolivia also hosts the Cal Orck'o track site, located about 250 miles southeast of Carreras Pampa. Together, these sites provide some of the most complete and varied records of dinosaur movements from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods in the world.

Author: Jackson Miller