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Drought in Texas reveals dinosaur tracks from 113 million years ago
Image source, Dinosaur Valley Park/Paul Baker
Drought conditions in Texas, in the US, have revealed dinosaur tracks on a riverbed.
The well-preserved tracks at the Dinosaur Valley State Park are 113 million years old and belong to a dinosaur known as the Acrocanthosaurus.
Normally hidden under water and mud, the fossilised dino prints haven't been seen for 22 years.
Park superintendent Jeff Davis says they are some of the best preserved tracks in the world.
How have the tracks become visible?
Image source, Getty Images
A severe drought in Texas has left river levels very low across the state with some drying up all together.
Nearly all of Texas is suffering from the drought according to the US Drought Monitor.
The river in Dinosaur Valley State Park has been exposed to extreme heat and dry conditions, causing the river to dry up, revealing the tracks.
What would the Acrocanthosaurus have been like?
Image source, Getty Images
Superintendent Davis told 麻豆官网首页入口 News the tracks found on the riverbed are known as "lone ranger" tracks.
This means that just one Acrocanthosaurus made them whilst walking across the state park.
The dinos were three-toed creatures, who would have been around 15ft tall, Mr Davis explained.
Image source, Getty Images
Acrocanthosaurus would have eaten Sauroposeidons, whose tracks can also be found in the park!
Although not all droughts are because of climate change, but extreme heat and dry conditions around the world are drawing moisture from the Earth and making drought conditions worse.
The Earth has already warmed by 1.2C since the 1840's and unless governments around the world take action, such as reducing the burning of fossil fuels, it will keep getting warmer.