In Italy, 20,000 dinosaur footprints have been found: they are over 200 million years old.

Discovery of dinosaur footprints in Italy

According to ТСН: In Italy, a professional wildlife photographer accidentally stumbled upon one of the oldest and most significant collections of dinosaur footprints, dating back about 210 million years.

This finding, made in the Stelvio National Park, amazed scientists with its scale: initial estimates suggest there may be around 20,000 footprints over a stretch of 5 kilometers. The location, near the Swiss border, had not previously been noted for such a large number of dinosaur prints, experts say.

Archaeologist Dal Sasso emphasized that the footprints belong to long-legged, bipedal herbivores up to 10 meters long and weighing up to four tons, similar to Plateosaurus. Some footprints have a width of over 40 centimeters and noticeable claws.

These footprints indicate that dinosaurs moved in herds and sometimes stopped in circular formations—possibly as part of a defensive strategy.

The prints are located at an altitude of 2,400 to 2,800 meters above sea level on the northern cliff slope, making them difficult to detect without specialized equipment.

The entrance to the park where the footprints were discovered is only two kilometers from the alpine town of Bormio.

The governor of the Lombardy region, Attilio Fontana, described the discovery as a "gift for the Olympics," although the site is too remote for easy access in winter, and no plans have been developed yet for gradually opening it to the public.

Researchers hope that this finding will open new opportunities for studying prehistoric fauna and the behavior of dinosaurs in high-altitude areas of Europe.

It should be noted that in the Carreras-Pampa site, scientists have also discovered about 18,000 individual footprints left by dinosaurs around 70 million years ago.

The discovery of dinosaur footprints in Italy not only expands our knowledge of prehistoric times but also has the potential to become an interesting tourist route if it can be adapted for visitors. The footprints found may serve as a basis for further research and discoveries in this field. Over time, we will be able to learn more about the life and behavior of these majestic creatures in ancient times.