New dinosaur tracks find in Udon Thani

What are believed to be fossilised dinosaur footprints have been discovered in Ban Phue district of Udon Thani province, with preliminary observations suggesting they were left by a large carnivore.

The Department of Mineral Resources became aware of the discovery through a post in the Facebook group “นี่ตัวอะไร” (What is this creature?), which reported the finding of marks resembling dinosaur tracks.

The department has since contacted the person who discovered the marks. Officials from the Fossil Protection Division and Regional Mineral Resources Office 2 planned to visit the site on Tuesday.

The investigation will establish whether the marks are genuine fossilised tracks and, if so, try to identify what creature left this ancient record of its existence. 

- How footprints become fossils - 

The department also explained how footprints can survive for millions of years and provide valuable evidence of prehistoric life.

Fossilised tracks, known as trace fossils, form when an animal's feet leave impressions in sediment or soft ground that later hardens. The impressions are subsequently buried by layers of sediment, which gradually compact and turn into rock over time, preserving the original traces.

Unlike skeletal fossils, which provide evidence of an animal's physical structure, trace fossils offer insights into how prehistoric animals moved and behaved.

Footprints and trackways can help scientists estimate an animal's stride length, speed and movement patterns, as well as whether animals travelled in groups.

Geologists examine the shape and number of footprints, the characteristics of the toes and other associated traces to assess which species may have left them.

The prints in Udon Thani require further examination before their authenticity and possible origin can be confirmed.