The Bittersweet Reason Why New Dinosaur Tracks Were Discovered
In what amounts to exciting discovery, dinosaur tracks have been unearthed. However, the reason why is bittersweet.
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An exciting new dinosaur tracks discovery has been made in Texas, delighting both the public and scientific community alike. The tracks were found in Dinosaur Valley State Park. The tracks were identified as being around 113 million years old and belonging to an Acrocanthosaurus. While the dinosaur itself had been previously identified, the freshly found tracks had never before been seen. However, the reason that these particular tracks had alluded archeologists for so long is concerning, making the discovery somewhat bittersweet.
The reason that these particular Acrocanthosaurus tracks were never found in Dinosaur Valley State Park prior to now is that they once existed at the bottom of a river inside the park. Unfortunately, due to a period of extreme drought, much of that river has dried up completely. This allowed for the once hidden tracks to finally be exposed.
A spokesperson for the park, Stephanie Salinas Garcia, said to CNN that this isn’t the first set of Acrocanthosaurus dinosaur tracks to be identified since the river has dried up. “Most tracks that have recently been uncovered and discovered at different parts of the river in the park belong to Acrocanthosaurus. This was a dinosaur that would stand, as an adult, about 15 feet tall and (weigh) close to seven tons,” said Garcia. She also relayed that Sauroposeidon dinosaur tracks had also been uncovered as a result of the effects of the prolonged drought.
The concerning part surrounding the discovery of the dinosaur tracks is rooted in climate change. Given Texas’ locale, it’s not uncommon for the state to undergo periods of drought and extreme heat. However, thanks to climate change these weather patterns have been exacerbated. And regardless of someone’s stance on climate change, these weather patterns come with devastating consequences. Alongside the prolonged drought, much of Texas has been experiencing record-setting heat in the triple digits. Further worsening matters, the periods of excessive dryness and heat have hardened the ground to a point where any fast-falling moisture will be instantly wicked away. This circumstance recently contributed to the flash flooding that the Dallas area experienced.
Despite the bittersweetness surrounding the uncovering of the dinosaur tracks, the park is still celebrating the discovery. “While these newer dinosaur tracks were visible for a brief amount of time, it brought about the wonder and excitement about finding new dinosaur tracks at the park,” said Garcia. She also highlighted that the park intends to preserve and protect the tracks so that they can continue to be admired and enjoyed by future generations.
Dinosaur tracks are far from the only things being discovered as a result of receding waters due to extreme drought. Discoveries have also been made at Lake Mead in Utah. Although, the discoveries there have been far more morbid than dinosaur tracks. In recent months, Lake mead has dropped to historically low water levels. This led to the discovery of five different sets of deceased human remains. Law enforcement has been involved in leading the investigations pertaining to the newly found human remains.
