Jurassic Park
In an effort to save their culture's history, the Goolarabooloo people of Australia called in a group of paleontologists to examine thousands of dinosaur footprints. The Goolarabooloo view the fossilized, three-toed track marks as evidence of a journey taken by one of people's creation beings. But the Western Australia government wanted to build a liquid-natural-gas–processing precinct in the area, on top of the prehistoric footprints.
When the paleontologists came to study the track marks, they found some of the largest dinosaur footprints on record. The area is the most diverse place on Earth for dinosaur footprints, the researchers discovered.
The government later called off its plans to build the plant, meaning the dinosaur prints will remain untouched, at least for the time being. [Read the full story on the dinosaur footprints]
Walmadany
Fossilized dinosaur footprints left along the coastline of Western Australia.
Sauropod footprint
Richard Hunter, the Goolarabooloo law boss, lies next to a giant sauropod dinosaur track.
Dinosaur diversity
The different types of dinosaurs that may have left footprints at Walmadany.
Sauropod track
Richard Hunter kneels near a sauropod track mark.
Ornithopod footprints
The various ornithopod dinosaurs that likely walked along the ancient land of Walmadany.
Fieldwork
Study researchers Jay Nair (left), Steven Salisbury (center) and Anthony Romilio (right) study the dinosaur footprints.
Sauropod prints
The different sauropods that likely left the giant footprints found in Walmadany.
Recording tracks
Steven Salisbury records the dinosaurs' fossilized footprints.
Theropod marks
The different meat-eating theropod dinosaur track marks found in Western Australia.
Stegosaur print
The fossilized footprint of a stegosaur.
