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Bolivia Tracksite Sets World Record With 16,600 Dinosaur Footprints

A new PLOS One study maps an exceptional snapshot of theropod movement along a Cretaceous lakeshore in Torotoro National Park.

Overview

  • Researchers surveyed nine localities across 7,485 square meters, documenting 1,321 trackways and 289 isolated prints on a single preserved surface.
  • The team counted 16,600 three‑toed theropod footprints plus 1,378 swim tracks, with several trackways preserving clear tail-drag marks.
  • Footprints range from less than 10 cm to more than 30 cm, recording behaviors such as walking, running, sharp turns, and swimming through shallow water.
  • Most tracks align northwest–southeast alongside ripple-marked sediment, supporting a high-traffic shoreline corridor used by multiple size classes.
  • The site sets records for individual prints, continuous trackways, tail traces, and swim traces, and further mapping and protection efforts are underway, with some media rounding totals to nearly 18,000.