Ancient Dinosaur Footprints Unearthed in Italy's Alpine Heights

Italian paleontologists have discovered a wealth of dinosaur footprints on a steep rock face in the Stelvio National Park, Lombardy. The prints, believed to have been made by plateosaurs over 200 million years ago in a once-warm lagoon, are among the most significant from the Triassic period.

Italian paleontologists have unveiled a groundbreaking discovery in the Stelvio National Park, Lombardy. Thousands of dinosaur footprints have been found on a steep rock face more than 2,000 metres above sea level, marking one of the world's richest sites from the Triassic period.

Spanning over five kilometres in the high-altitude Valle di Fraele, the tracks boast remarkable details, including claw marks, some up to 40 cm wide. Experts suggest these prints were left by herds of long-necked herbivores called plateosaurs over 200 million years ago, when the area was a warm lagoon.

The discovery, first noticed by a wildlife photographer, has intrigued scientists and is considered a 'precious gift' aligning with the upcoming Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Remote sensing technologies are set to be employed for further study.

(With inputs from agencies.)