Dinosaur footprints unearthed in China's Sichuan
Paleontologists have uncovered more than 20 dinosaur and other vertebrate footprints on a rock wall in Dujiangyan City, China's Sichuan Province, dating back roughly 200 million years. The find offers fresh insights into the early evolution of dinosaurs, Qazinform News Agency reports referring to Xinhua.
The tracks were first spotted by a hiker last month and later confirmed by a research team led by Xing Lida, associate professor at the China University of Geosciences (Beijing). This marks the first time dinosaur footprints have been reported in Dujiangyan.
Among the prints are theropod tracks of varying sizes, left by carnivorous dinosaurs, and chirotherian-type tracks, resembling human hands, linked to early archosaur reptiles.
Xing noted the site’s importance; at least four distinct layers preserve footprints that show dinosaurs lived here for an extended period.
Researchers also discovered petrified wood, including fallen logs and upright stumps, which provide valuable clues about the ecosystem of the time.
According to Jiang Shan of the Zigong Dinosaur Museum, this material will help scientists deepen their understanding of dinosaur evolution in China’s early Jurassic period.
To note, dinosaur bones estimated to be around 70 million years old have been discovered in Karakalpakstan.
