Colorado dinosaur footprints relocated from golf course to museum where they can be on display
How do you remove a dinosaur footprint? The answer: Very carefully. That's what took place at the Fossil Trace Golf Course on Wednesday in Golden.
Colton Snyder is a paleontologist with History Colorado. He told CBS News Colorado, "I'm excited, I'm like a kid in a candy store who just got his allowance."
"It's not every day you get to play with a triceratops dinosaur track tens of millions of years old." Snyder showed why the footprint was in danger, saying, "Most of the block has already separated off the wall. There's still some dirt left on the side closest to me."
In fact, earlier this month, Friends of Dinosaur Ridge found that more than 40% of the block containing the track was no longer attached to the wall.
Snyder added, "If it did fall, it weighs so much, it was likely going to shatter itself. So rather than going the whole winter, we decided to come down and help them pull it off."
Not far away at Dinosaur Ridge near Morrison, similar footprints are also in danger of extinction. So they are being mapped with drones before the weather erases them forever.
Nathan Richie, Director of the Golden History Museum, said, "We are in one of the most important fossil areas in all of Colorado, arguably one of the most important places in the entire world."
So preserving the distant past is critical. Here on Golden's Triceratops Trail, they put the fossil track in a field jacket, covered with plaster.
"The fossil track's actually right here. You can see it's a lot thicker. That's what the wood frame is for so that the track doesn't hit the ground first."
A triceratops with a cast on its foot, kind of.
"It's a lot like when you go to the doctor's office with a broken arm or leg. It's the exact same type of process. In fact, in smaller fossils, we use the same bandages they use in the doctor's office many times." said Snyder.
Like a medical operation, this had to be done with precision as it was removed from the breaking wall.
"Three, two, one, perfect!" was shouted as the footprint tumbled safely from the rock.
The triceratops footprint now goes to the Golden History Museum, where it will go on display later this year.
