In 1988, Guy Plint, an earth scientist, was studying sedimentary deposits near Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, when he accidentally discovered tracks left by duck-billed dinosaurs that roamed the area around 86 million years ago. Today, this region in northeastern B.C. has become a UNESCO Global Geopark renowned for its wealth of ancient fossils.
Collaborating with a local paleontologist, Dr. Charles Helm, Plint delved into the history of these tracks. Describing them as the most northerly discovered in North America, Plint noted their unique significance compared to similar tracks found in southern Montana.
Their research, published recently, revealed that the fossilized footprints date back to the Coniacian age, a period during the Late Cretaceous era spanning approximately 85 to 89 million years ago. This discovery marks a transition in dinosaur species, indicating a shift from ankylosaurs to duck-billed dinosaurs as the dominant herbivores following the emergence of flowering plants.
The tracks were preserved in what was once a prehistoric delta in Tumbler Ridge, an area characterized by marshlands adjacent to an inland sea. Identified as the sole Coniacian age dinosaur tracks in Canada, these findings provide valuable insights into the ancient dinosaur community that thrived in the region.
Eamon Drysdale, the resident paleontologist and curator at the Tumbler Ridge Museum, emphasized the importance of safeguarding these tracks to preserve their scientific value. He highlighted the significance of these tracks in understanding the evolutionary changes in dinosaur species during the transition from the early to late Cretaceous period, a period with limited body fossil records.
As the museum continues to protect and study these remarkable discoveries, the ongoing research sheds light on the evolutionary dynamics of dinosaurs during this critical period in Earth’s history.
