Paleontologists dismayed after 112-million-year-old dinosaur footprints were damaged by botched construction job

A section of dinosaur footprints was damaged beyond repair.

The Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite is located in southeastern Utah. According to the Bureau of Land Management, it contains at least 200 footprints from at least 10 different dinosaur species. It is one of the most studied paleontological sites in the world.

The agency failed to take necessary precautions when constructing a boardwalk to protect the ancient footprints, according to a Bureau of Land Management report.

As a result, trace fossils were damaged, as recent tire tracks indicate that this area was impacted by the backhoe and other vehicles.

Damage to the site was found to be minimal. Had the project not been stopped, it is likely that more damage would have been done.

BLM

Patrick Donnelly of the Center for Biological Diversity said in a January statement that he was absolutely outraged that the BLM had destroyed one of the world's most important paleontological resources. It calls into question the Bureau's competence as a land-management agency.

The report recommended that the project be reexamined and that the agency fill a vacant position for a regional paleontologist. The Utah Geological Survey had no paleontologists involved in any stage of the project.

The agency said in a statement that it will follow the recommendations in the assessment, seek public input, and work with the paleontology community as it builds boardwalks at the interpretive site.