Heavy machinery used to replace a boardwalk at a famous tourist attraction in southeastern Utah has ruined dinosaur tracks from 112 million years ago, according to US officials.
The damage to the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Track site is moderate. But some footprints suffered fractures around the rims, as per a report released by the US Bureau of Land Management.
The Salt Lake Tribune says that a location where an ancient crocodile crossed a mudflat seemed to have been plowed over many times by a backhoe. It in turn produced fracturing.
The site is one of the most important dinosaur track locations in Utah. It has at least 10 different species of dinosaur tracks.
The project should be up for reevaluation, the area should have clear markings. Work crews must be briefed on where they can and cannot go, according to the assessment.
The study also recommended that the agency fill a regional paleontologist opening that has existed since 2018.
“To ensure this does not happen again, we will follow the recommendations in the assessment, seek public input, and work with the paleontology community as we collectively move forward on constructing boardwalks at the interpretive site,” the agency said.
This summer, the revised report should be complete.
“It’s good that we stopped more damage from happening,” said Jeremy Roberts. Roberts is among those who strived to have the Bureau of Land Management halt the project. “But this will continue to plague the state until we get a paleontologist.”
