Paleontologists have documented the world's largest concentration of dinosaur tracks—over 16,000 footprints spread across an area of 7,500 square meters. Researchers believe this site was not just a place for random strolls, but a bustling migration route where dinosaurs moved in organized groups along the shore of an ancient lake.

A Unique Discovery in Bolivia

Bolivia is renowned for its paleontological landmarks, yet the Carreras Pampa site in Torotoro National Park remained largely unexplored for a long time. This is mainly because local geological layers rarely contain bones, but the density of tracks on the surface reaches record levels. Scientists were faced with a true "trampled field," where hundreds of trails intersect and overlap, creating a complex mosaic. Analyzing this chaos required an unconventional approach.

Modern Research Methods

The authors of the study, published in the journal PLOS One, used drones and 3D scanning to create three-dimensional models of the tracks. Additionally, researchers employed colorful yarn: crawling over the rocky surface, they connected consecutive prints with thread to visualize the movement paths of individual animals. This method helped untangle a web of 1,321 trackways—a world record for the number of tracks—and identify 11 distinct walking styles, ranging from cautious steps through sticky mud to confident running. Scientists also recorded sharp turns, sudden stops, tail drag marks, and signs of limping in injured individuals.

An Ancient Transportation Corridor

Analysis revealed that the plain served as a true transportation corridor. The tracks show a clear bimodal orientation: thousands of predatory theropods moved in organized streams strictly in two opposite directions—northwest and southeast—likely following the shoreline of the ancient lake.

Swimming Traces and Tail Drag Marks

Of particular interest were the tracks of swimming dinosaurs. Scientists documented the world's longest continuous swimming trail—130 meters. The animals, barely touching the bottom with their claws, left characteristic scratches reminiscent of a ballerina's pointe marks. For the first time in the Southern Hemisphere, mass evidence of tail dragging was discovered: deep grooves indicate that the sticky ground forced predators to lower their tails for balance, or the tails touched the ground when their feet sank too deeply.

The Significance of the Discovery

The researchers confirmed Carreras Pampa's status as the richest theropod tracksite on the planet. Their work also demonstrates that the behavior of predatory dinosaurs was complex and adaptive: they moved confidently in water, adjusted their gait depending on the type of soil, and traveled along shared routes.