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Dinosaur Track Found in Denali National
Park A roughly 70-million year old dinosaur track has been discovered
in Denali National Park and Preserve by a University of Alaska Fairbanks
student. The discovery of the three-toed Cretaceous period dinosaur
was made last week during a UAF Department of Geology and Geophysics
field camp. Dr. Paul McCarthy, associate professor of geology, was
showing two students, Susi Tomsich and Jeremiah Drewel, a sedimentary
rock that commonly preserves dinosaur track, when Tomsich pointed
to the dinosaur track and asked, "like this one?"
Photo
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Map
of the Area
The track is about six inches wide
by nine inches long. The track was found June 27 near the Igloo
Campground, about 35 miles west of the park entrance. The area has
been closed to public entry while the park develops a plan to preserve
the fossil. The dinosaur track found in rocks called the Cantwell
Formation is the first evidence of dinosaurs found in Denali National
Park and Preserve. The University of Alaska Fairbanks Department
of Geology and Geophysics, through the efforts of Dr. Rainer Newberry
and Bill Witte, have been working closely with Murie Science and
Learning Center and Denali National Park and Preserve to conduct
a field geology mapping course, which started in 2003. Through these
efforts, the park has benefited by gaining a more detailed understanding
of the park's geologic resources.
Dr. Anthony Fiorillo, curator of
earth sciences at the Dallas Museum of Natural History, has persistently
advocated the search for dinosaur remains in the Cantwell Formation
due to its age and geological properties. This discovery by the
students provides confirmation and inspiration for ongoing paleontological
efforts. Dr. Fiorillo partnered with Dr. McCarthy earlier this year
for his expertise on fossil soils that provides a critical sedimentological
context for this discovery. Dr. Fiorillo has visited the park to
search for dinosaur evidence in 2000, 2001, and 2004, and plans
to continue the research this summer with assistance from Phil Brease,
Denali National Park and Preserve Geologist.
The work is supported through the
NPS Challenge Cost Share Program grant, a program which facilitates
partnerships with other organizations and neighboring communities.
The NPS has partnered with the Dallas Museum of Natural History
and University of Alaska Fairbanks Department of Geology and Geophysics
for continued investigations. This discovery confirms that conditions
exist in the park that will make future dinosaur discoveries in
Denali likely.
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Author:Jane
Tranel
www.nps.gov/alaska
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