MILAN — A wildlife photographer has uncovered one of the oldest and largest known collections of dinosaur footprints, dating back about 210 million years to the Triassic Period, in Stelvio National Park near the 2026 Winter Olympic venue in Bormio, Italy, officials announced Tuesday.
The discovery is remarkable for its sheer number, estimated at up to 20,000 footprints stretching over five kilometers, and for its location near the Swiss border, an area previously unknown for dinosaur tracks.
Cristiano Dal Sasso, paleontologist at Milan’s Natural History Museum, said the prints were likely made by long-necked, bipedal herbivores similar to Plateosaurus, measuring up to 10 meters long and weighing around four tons. Some tracks were 40 centimeters wide, showing visible claws.
“The tracks show that these dinosaurs traveled in packs and sometimes stopped in circular formations, possibly for protection,” Dal Sasso said. “There are clear traces of individuals walking at a slow, calm, rhythmic pace, without running.”
The footprints were discovered by wildlife photographer Elio Della Ferrera, who had been photographing deer and vultures in September. He noticed something unusual on a vertical rock wall about 600 meters above the nearest road and scaled the rock to take a closer look.
“The huge surprise was not just discovering the footprints, but finding such a massive quantity,” Della Ferrera said. “There are tens of thousands of prints, more or less well-preserved.”
The site is located two kilometers from Bormio, where Men’s Alpine Skiing events will take place during the Games from February 6 to 22. Lombardy regional governor Attilio Fontana called the discovery a “gift for the Olympics,” although the remote location makes winter access difficult and plans for public visitation have not yet been made.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
