Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Dinosaur Footprint Found in Alaska

A 70 million year old track from a three-toed carnivorous dinosaur has been found under a ledge in Denali National Park by a University of Alaska Fairbanks student.

Anthony Fiorillo, curator of earth sciences at the Dallas Museum of Natural History said the find was important because of its location in Interior Alaska, far from any coastlines.

"An Interior dinosaur at a higher elevation likely would experience more seasonal climate variation than creatures to the north or south closer to coasts, Fiorillo said."

"Fiorillo and others have for years explored evidence of polar dinosaurs near the Colville River on Alaska's North Slope about 25 miles from the Arctic Ocean. Evidence of duckbilled, plant-eating dinosaurs and theropods also has been found on the Alaska Peninsula."

See a photo and read more at The Washington Post and Reuters AlertNet.