113-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Tracks Found In Texas After Drought Dried Up River [Video]
![Drought affected Doubs river in Arcon](https://d.ibtimes.com/en/full/3801198/drought-affected-doubs-river-arcon.jpg?w=736&f=605c5bc6b4ceab570e18d4f22b20a023)
KEY POINTS
- Dinosaur tracks were uncovered and discovered at different parts of Paluxy River at Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, Texas
- The footprints were left behind by the dinosaurs Acrocanthosaurus and Sauroposeidon
- The tracks are expected to be buried again as rain is forecast
An ongoing severe drought dried up most spots of a river at Dinosaur Valley State Park (DVSP) in Glen Rose, Texas, revealing dinosaur tracks that are 113 million years old, the park said in a statement Monday.
Most of the footprints that were uncovered and discovered at different parts of Paluxy River were left behind by Acrocanthosaurus, CNN reported, citing an email from park spokesperson Stephanie Salinas Garcia.
The dinosaur, as an adult, stood about 15 feet tall and weighed close to seven tons, according to the spokesperson.
There were also tracks left behind by Sauroposeidon, a dinosaur that was about 60 feet tall and weighed 44 tons as an adult, Garcia said.
Triangle-shaped tracks and claw marks were pressed into the riverbed of the Paluxy, a video posted last week by Friends of Dinosaur Valley State Park, a non-profit organization that supports the park, showed.
1.1M views, 17K likes, 3.2K loves, 2.3K comments, 11K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Dinosaur Valley State Park - Friends: After The Drought of 2022 Huge Dinosaur Tracks Appear in the Paluxy...
The tracks would have been less visible under normal weather conditions as they would be under water and filled with sediment, but these conditions helped protect them from natural weather and erosion, Garcia explained.
"Being able to find these discoveries and experience new dinosaur tracks is always an exciting time at the park!" she told CNN.
It is unclear exactly how long the tracks will remain visible, but Garcia said they will be buried again as rain is forecast.
"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," she said.
"Dinosaur Valley State Park will continue to protect these 113-million-year-old tracks not only for present, but future generations," Garcia added.
More than 60% of Texas experienced either an "extreme" or "exceptional" drought last week, the U.S. Drought Monitor's most intense classifications.
The state also reportedly experienced heat waves recently that pushed temperatures into the triple digits.
The human-caused climate crisis has increased the potential for more frequent dramatic swings in periods of drought and high precipitation, according to CNN.
![A handout image obtained on August 23, 2022 courtesy of the Dinosaur Valley State Park shows dinosaur tracks from around 113 million years ago](https://d.ibtimes.com/en/full/3807458/handout-image-obtained-august-23-2022-courtesy-dinosaur-valley-state-park-shows-dinosaur.jpg?w=576&f=fcc82499ac50f27970433518899694ce)
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