A rock surface bearing dozens of potential dinosaur footprints was recently uncovered in Iran following a landslide, prompting calls from a local paleontologist for urgent documentation and preservation efforts. The discovery was announced by Erfan Khosravi, a paleontologist and zoologist, who shared the information on the social media platform X.
According to Khosravi, the footprints emerged after a section of mountain collapsed, exposing the impressions previously hidden beneath sediment deposits. He emphasized the vulnerability of the traces to weathering and erosion once exposed, urging prompt scientific investigation to prevent damage or loss.
The proposed course of action includes surveying the site, making physical casts of the footprints, and recording their three-dimensional structures. Such documentation is intended to preserve fine details of the prints, providing valuable data for further scientific analysis. Khosravi noted that the three-dimensional characteristics of the footprints could offer important insights into how the dinosaurs’ feet interacted with the ground and their locomotion.
Currently, the project is being conducted independently, without government funding. Khosravi explained that the extent and methodologies employed in the documentation would depend on available resources, with various approaches under consideration as the work progresses. He also invited individuals interested in paleontology and natural heritage documentation to reach out to him for more details.
The findings from the investigation are expected to be compiled into a scientific paper for submission to specialist journals. In accordance with standard academic practice, financial support would be acknowledged in the publication as appropriate.
Dinosaur footprints, a type of trace fossil, record the activity of ancient animals rather than their preserved bodies. These impressions form when dinosaurs walked across soft sediment that later hardened and was buried, often surviving for millions of years. Analysis of the shape, depth, and spacing of such footprints can help reconstruct the animals’ movement patterns, foot anatomy, and environmental interactions.
While Iran has a documented but relatively limited record of dinosaur tracks, notable studies have been conducted in recent years. For instance, a 2022 scientific report described a tracksite in the Farrokhi Formation near Khur in central Iran, dated to approximately 70 million years ago, contributing to knowledge of dinosaur presence in West Asia.
The newly discovered footprints will require comprehensive geological and paleontological assessment to verify their authenticity, determine their age, and evaluate their scientific significance.