A construction project to fix a boardwalk at a popular tourist area in Utah has caused damage to dinosaur tracks that are 112 million years old, according to U.S. officials.
The project required the use of heavy machinery, which caused the damage at the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Track Site.
A report from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management said that the damage to the footprints was minor, but some had fractures around the rims.
“Close examination of the trace fossils in this area shows signs of recent breakage and fracturing of the brittle impact rims around a few of the tracks,” the report reads.
The site has tracks from at least 10 different species of dinosaurs and is considered one of the most important dinosaur track areas in the U.S., NBC News reported.
A report from the Salt Lake Tribune shared that the agency said a backhoe had driven over an area multiple times where a prehistoric crocodile crossed a mudflat, which resulted in fracturing.
The project has now been paused, and the agency has said that it should be reevaluated with the area being clearly marked and crews being more cautious about where they can and can't go so as not to destroy or cause any more damage to the site.
"To ensure this does not happen again, we will follow the recommendations in the assessment, seek public input, and work with the paleontology community as we collectively move forward on constructing boardwalks at the interpretive site," the agency said.
Jeremy Roberts was among those calling for the Bureau of Land Management to pause the construction project, and he shared that it's a good thing they did.
"It's good that we stopped more damage from happening," Roberts said. "But this will continue to plague the state until we get a paleontologist."
The report from the agency said that there has been a vacancy for a regional paleontologist who could help maintain and protect the site, but it has been unfilled since 2018.
As for the project, the agency reported that “had the project not been stopped, it is likely that much greater damage would have occurred with increased construction activities,” possibly destroying the ancient footsteps frozen in time.
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