Giant theropod tracks found in Thailand

Six theropod tracks dating back around 120 million years have been discovered in Phu Phra Bat National Park. Authorities have temporarily closed the area and are developing measures to protect it.

Dinosaur tracks dating back around 120 million years discovered in Thailand

A trail of tracks left by a large carnivorous theropod that walked on two hind limbs was found in Phu Phra Bat National Park. The prints were spotted by Pichai Prathetsena, who was visiting the park with his family and exploring a stream. He photographed the unusual marks and posted the picture in the Thai Facebook group “What Is This Creature?” After the post was published, officials contacted him.

This week, specialists from Thailand’s Department of Mineral Resources inspected the site. They identified six prints left around 120 million years ago. According to the Department of Public Relations, they form a single trackway on the Phu Phan geological formation and date to the Early Cretaceous period.

Each three-toed print is about 29 centimeters long and 26 centimeters wide. Researchers estimate that the dinosaur stood about 1.42 meters tall at the hips and was around 6.3 meters long. The find was initially described as the track of an animal about 20 feet long; the experts’ estimate is equivalent to about 21 feet.

Photos: Thailand’s Department of Mineral Resources.

The park has been temporarily closed to tourists. Authorities are studying the find and deciding how to protect the prints, which are classified as trace fossils. The Department of Mineral Resources also said it is developing measures to prevent water erosion. In the future, the site could become a major national center for education and research, as well as geological and paleontological tourism.

Trace fossils form when an animal leaves an impression in soft soil or sediment that later hardens. In this case, the dinosaur track was gradually buried beneath layers of sedimentary rock. Over time, they compacted and turned to stone, preserving the impression.

Unlike fossilized skeletons, such finds provide insight into the movement and behavior of prehistoric animals. They can reveal gait, speed, stride length, and manner of movement. Tracks can also sometimes help determine whether a species moved in groups or alone.

As the Bangkok Post reported, the Department of Mineral Resources explained how dinosaur tracks can survive for hundreds of millions of years. A key part of the process is the successive burial of a track under layers of sediment and their subsequent transformation into rock.

The discovery in Thailand is another example of how a photograph posted online can draw attention to a scientific find. In September, a tourist’s photo, posted online after a trip to Portugal, helped lead to the accidental discovery of a previously unknown plant species. In Colombia, an Instagram selfie led to the discovery of a new species of giant water lily.