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Floods in Texas Exposed 15 Rare Footprints of Acrocanthosaurus, Preserved for Over 110 Million Years in the Rock Bed of Sandy Creek.
Floods in Texas Hill Country uncovered 15 rare dinosaur footprints, buried for millions of years. The marks, featuring three claws, appeared in the newly exposed bed of Big Sandy Creek in Travis County.
A volunteer helping with debris cleanup discovered the tracks. Since it is private property, the exact location is being kept confidential at the owner’s request.
Origin of the Footprints
According to paleontologist Matthew Brown from the University of Texas in Austin, the marks were made by a large carnivorous dinosaur.
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The creature resembled Acrocanthosaurus, which could grow to about 10.6 meters long.
The footprints range from 45 to 50 centimeters and are between 110 and 115 million years old.
These records were preserved in the limestone of the Glen Rose Formation, only exposed after the force of the waters from the flood.
Force of the Water
The normally dry Sandy Creek rose up to six meters high, sweeping everything in its path. Houses and properties were destroyed.
Despite the impact, authorities and residents welcomed the revelation of the footprints with enthusiasm.
Protection and Preservation
County and state teams, guided by paleontologists, have taken measures to prevent damage to the tracks. Heavy machinery and cleanup efforts are being controlled to preserve the discovery.
Paleontologist Brown plans to return with his team to document the find using maps and 3D images.
Detailed Investigation
The tracks are in a crossed pattern. The study seeks to determine if they belong to a single dinosaur or to several animals that passed through the area.
Brown recalls that central Texas holds many dinosaur footprints, which surprises those who do not imagine finding them so close to home.
Previous Finds
Marks from another dinosaur, the Paluxysaurus — a herbivore and the official state dinosaur of Texas — have already been found nearby.
Travis County is located less than 320 kilometers from Dinosaur Valley State Park, famous for its footprints left about 113 million years ago by sauropods and theropods.
The park is a destination for tourists and enthusiasts, who enjoy the Paluxy River for activities such as fishing, swimming, and kayaking when water levels permit.
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