Dinosaur tracks in northwest China uncover secrets of Cretaceous behaviour

China's scientists have unveiled fossilised dinosaur tracks dating back over 120 million years, shedding light on the social behaviours and movement patterns of carnivorous dinosaurs from the Cretaceous period. This is reported by Xinhua News Agency, a partner of TV BRICS.

The track site, located in northwest Gansu Province, features at least 67 three-toed footprints preserved on a sandstone cliff spanning 6.2 square metres.

The tracks, measuring between 11 cm and 21 cm in length, were left by Grallator ssatoi, a small bipedal carnivorous dinosaur.

Detailed analysis revealed that some tracks run parallel and move in the same direction, suggesting these dinosaurs exhibited gregarious behaviour, likely as a defence mechanism against predators. According to the researchers, such social dynamics may have helped reduce individual vulnerability by encouraging group vigilance.

First noticed in 2006 and formally examined by researchers in 2023, the tracks had remained partially submerged under the Yellow River until recent decades. Their preservation offers invaluable insights into dinosaur distribution, movement, and behaviour in ancient China.

These findings not only enhance scientific understanding but also hold substantial educational value, bridging the gap between the distant past and the present, the source claims.

Photo: Xing Lida, China University of Geosciences (Beijing)/  Xinhua News Agency