玻利维亚中部发现全球最大规模恐龙足迹群

Core Viewpoint - A significant discovery of the largest known collection of dinosaur footprints has been made in Bolivia's Torotoro National Park, providing valuable insights into dinosaur behavior during the late Cretaceous period [1]. Group 1: Discovery Details - The research team from Loma Linda University documented 16,600 dinosaur footprints and 1,378 swimming marks over six years of systematic investigation [1]. - The footprints date back approximately 60 million years and are well-preserved due to ancient water levels that sealed the muddy layers where dinosaurs walked [1]. - The findings indicate that a range of dinosaurs, from 10-meter tall giants to 32-centimeter small ones, traversed the area, likely migrating along an ancient coastline [1]. Group 2: Research Impact - The research provides an "extraordinary window" into the behavior of dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period, as noted by paleontologist Richard Butler from Birmingham University [1]. - The results of the study have been published in the reputable journal PLOS ONE [1]. Group 3: Conservation Concerns - Ongoing agricultural, mining, and road construction activities in the area pose a continuous threat to the preservation of these archaeological sites [1]. - Despite the density of footprints, there is a notable absence of dinosaur skeletal fossils, suggesting that dinosaurs may have only passed through the area rather than residing there long-term [1]. - The research team plans to continue exploring this "dinosaur footprint treasure trove," anticipating further discoveries at the edges of the excavated areas [1].