The world's largest ever dinosaur footprints have been found in Australia. Paleontologists have discovered the world's biggest ever found footprints which are 1.7 meters long. The new Dinosaur Footprints were found in Australia's Kimberly Shoreline in Western Australia and are long enough to fit a human inside of them.
A Diplodocus type animal left the massive dinosaur footprints. One which was a herbivore. The footprints are said to be around 130 million-years-old, according to the paleontologists who found them.
New dinosaur discovery
The newly discovered footprints were from a species of dinosaur called a sauropod.
A total of 21 dinosaur tracks were found in the region.
The sauropod dinosaur had long necks and long tails, with four pillar-like legs. They did not eat meat, only vegetables and lived on the earth sometime between 123 millions years ago and 144 million years ago, according to the fossil records.
Other dinosaurs uncovered in the area
The scientists also found other dinosaur footprints. These footprints included the armored stegosaurs. This is the first time that the armored stegosaurs have been found in Australia alongside six different types of meat-eating dinosaurs..
A lot of work, dedication and time have gone into recovering these dinosaur footprints, by the scientists. It has taken a total of 400 hours to improve these dinosaur footprints.
The researchers were helped by the Goolarabooloo people, who are a small group of indigenous populations in Western Australia.
The area where authorities have given the found protection status in two areas. The first way that this area is now protected is because it has been given a natural heritage status listing. That status was given in 2011.
Secondly, the area was given protection in 2013, when a proposed gas project wasn't permitted and the deal collapsed.
Protection of this area is good news for scientists as it could lead to a future discovery of this kind. A promising sign for dinosaur discoveries in the future.
