A wildlife photographer has uncovered thousands of ancient dinosaur footprints in Italy's Stelvio National Park, revealing one of the largest and oldest trackways ever recorded. The discovery, made by Elio Della Ferrera in September, provides a rare look into the lives of dinosaurs from 210 million years ago. These remarkably preserved tracks are located high on a near-vertical cliff face in the Fraele Valley, a region known for its mountainous terrain.[indiandefencereview+8]
Photographer's Sharp Eye Leads to Major Find
Elio Della Ferrera was photographing deer and vultures when he noticed unusual patterns on a steep rock wall through his binoculars. What might have seemed like random marks to others, Della Ferrera recognized as potentially significant. He then scaled the difficult terrain to get a closer look at the imprints.[news+5]
Della Ferrera quickly alerted experts to his find. He sent photographs to Cristiano Dal Sasso, a paleontologist at the Natural History Museum of Milan, with whom he had collaborated before. Initial assessments confirmed that the photographer had stumbled upon unreported dinosaur prints.[indiandefencereview+6]
Reflecting on the moment, Della Ferrera expressed hope that the discovery would "spark reflection in all of us, highlighting how little we know about the places we live in: our home, our planet". The sheer scale of the discovery is notable, with estimates suggesting tens of thousands of individual footprints across roughly three miles of rock.[indiandefencereview+2]
Ancient Herds Roamed a Coastal Plain
The footprints date back to the Late Triassic Period, approximately 210 million years ago. During this ancient time, the area now known as the Italian Alps was a warm coastal plain or a lagoon system with extensive tidal flats. Herds of dinosaurs walked through soft, muddy sediment, leaving behind their impressions which later hardened into stone.[indiandefencereview+14]
Most of the tracks belong to prosauropods, a group of long-necked, bipedal herbivorous dinosaurs. These creatures, which could be up to 33 feet long and weigh as much as four tons, were ancestors of the much larger brontosaurus. Researchers also identified traces of smaller theropods and archosaurs, suggesting a diverse ancient ecosystem.[globalnews+7]
The footprints vary in size, with some measuring over 40 centimeters in diameter. Many impressions show detailed outlines of toes and claws, providing valuable information for paleontologists. The arrangement of the tracks, including parallel rows, clearly indicates coordinated movement and herd behavior.[globalnews+8]
Cristiano Dal Sasso described the finding as both unexpected and deeply significant. He noted that the site reveals "an immense scientific treasure" and that the parallel trackways are "clear evidence of herds moving in synchronized fashion". Some groupings of tracks even suggest more complex behaviors, such as animals gathering in a circle, possibly for defense.[indiandefencereview+3]
Geological Forces Preserved History on a Cliff
Today, these ancient tracks are found on a near-vertical rock face, sometimes 2,000 feet above the nearest road. This dramatic positioning is a result of millions of years of geological activity. As the African tectonic plate moved north, it pushed against the Eurasian plate, leading to the closure of the Tethys Ocean and the formation of the Alps.[globalnews+7]
During this process, the sedimentary layers that once formed the seabed and coastal plains were folded and tilted. This monumental geological uplift caused the fossilized dinosaur footprints to shift from a horizontal position to their current vertical orientation on the mountain slope. The shaded nature of the north-facing wall, where the tracks are located, likely contributed to their preservation over millennia.[globalnews+6]
The discovery marks the first time dinosaur footprints have been found in Italy north of the Insubric line, which is part of the boundary between the Adriatic and Eurasian plates. This makes the site particularly important for understanding the ancient geography and life forms of the region.[iflscience+1]
An Ongoing Scientific Legacy
The newly found trackway is considered the largest dinosaur track site in the Alps and one of the richest in the world. It offers unprecedented insight into the Triassic Period, a time long before the Alps existed in their current form. Researchers can use the tracks to reconstruct dinosaur movement patterns, walking speeds, and social structures.[news+7]
Paleontologists like Dal Sasso emphasize the importance of this find for future research. "This is now really one of the most important places for Triassic dinosaur footprints," Dal Sasso said. He added that further investigations will involve collecting images and studying the entire area of the Fraele Valley.[news+3]
The site's proximity to venues for the upcoming Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics also brings an unexpected spotlight to the region's deep prehistoric past. This extraordinary discovery is hailed as an "immense scientific legacy," promising to reshape scientists' understanding of ancient life in the Italian Alps.[wliw+3]
