{"id":211445,"date":"2025-12-02T13:55:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T13:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/211445\/"},"modified":"2025-12-02T13:55:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T13:55:12","slug":"new-study-of-dinosaur-tracks-suggests-it-walked-with-a-limp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/211445\/","title":{"rendered":"New study of dinosaur tracks suggests it walked with a limp"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/West-Gold-Hill-Dinosaur-Tracksite-loop-section-Paul-Murphey.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/West-Gold-Hill-Dinosaur-Tracksite-loop-section-Paul-Murphey.jpg\" alt=\"A grey sandstone with roundish impressions which are dinosaur footprints.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" class=\"size-full wp-image-529342\"  \/><\/a>Scientists have shared a new study into this looping section of the dinosaur\u2019s tracks at West Gold Hill Dinosaur Tracksite in Colorado. One finding is that this dinosaur, alive 150 million years ago, might have had a limp. Image via Paul Murphey \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/news.uq.edu.au\/2025-11-looping-long-necked-dinosaur-site-reveals-its-secrets\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">The University of Queensland<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Scientists have studied 150-million-year-old<\/strong> sauropod tracks in Colorado.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Drone imaging and 3D modeling<\/strong> revealed the dinosaur made a full looping turn.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Footprint patterns suggest the dinosaur<\/strong> might have been walking with a limp.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Scientists analyze unique looping dinosaur\u2019s footprints<\/p>\n<p>Some 150 million years ago, a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sauropoda\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">sauropod<\/a> \u2013 a type of long-necked herbivorous dinosaur \u2013 ambled along a stretch of moist sand flats in a floodplain. Then, it turned around in a tight loop, walking in the opposite direction. <\/p>\n<p>Remarkably, the footprints it left behind remain preserved in sandstone, high in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. And recently, scientists did a detailed study of these ancient looping tracks to better understand the sauropod\u2019s movements. The team published a paper in late November 2025, with findings including the fact that this dinosaur might have been limping. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dinosaurs.group.uq.edu.au\/profile\/306\/anthony-romilio\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Anthony Romilio<\/a>, at the University of Queensland\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/dinosaurs.group.uq.edu.au\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Dinosaur Lab<\/a> in Australia, was the study\u2019s lead author. He talked about the tracks in a <a href=\"https:\/\/news.uq.edu.au\/2025-11-looping-long-necked-dinosaur-site-reveals-its-secrets\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">statement<\/a>: <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>This was left in the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Late_Jurassic\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Late Jurassic<\/a> when long-necked dinosaurs such as <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Diplodocus\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">diplodocus<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Camarasaurus\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">camarasaurus<\/a> roamed North America.<\/p>\n<p>This trackway is unique because it is a complete loop.<\/p>\n<p>While we may never know why this dinosaur curved back on itself, the trackway preserves an extremely rare chance to study how a giant sauropod handled a tight, looping turn before resuming its original direction of travel.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The scientists published their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2673-7418\/5\/4\/67\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">results<\/a> in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/reviewers\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">peer-reviewed<\/a> journal Geomatics on November 20, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Join EarthSky\u2019s Kelly Kizer Whitt on a hike to the West Gold Hill Dinosaur Tracksite, where these looping footprints were found!<\/p>\n<p>The sauropod tracks survived for over 150 million years<\/p>\n<p>These unique tracks are at the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/West_Gold_Hill_Dinosaur_Tracksite\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">West Gold Hill Dinosaur Tracksite<\/a>, in the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Uncompahgre_National_Forest\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Uncompahgre National Forest<\/a> near Ouray, Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>In their study, the scientists analyzed 131 footprints. There were mostly hind leg imprints, stretching over a 313-foot-long (95 meters) track. The smaller forefeet imprints were likely overprinted by the hind legs.<\/p>\n<p>The sauropod made these tracks 150 million years ago, before the Rocky Mountains had even formed (they only emerged 55 to 80 million years ago). Back then, in the late Jurassic, North America was located further south. As a result, the climate was warmer and more humid, with lush forests and shrublands. Somehow, these dinosaur tracks survived geological forces that heaved it up to an altitude of 9,301 feet (2,835 meters) in The Rockies. <\/p>\n<p>Locals have known about the footprints since the 1950s. But researchers did not scientifically describe them until 2021. Later, in 2024, the U.S. Forest Service acquired the land and it eventually became part of the Uncompahgre National Forest. The tracks are accessible to hikers who want to see them for themselves.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/West-Gold-Hill-tracksite-full-view-Paul-Murphey.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/West-Gold-Hill-tracksite-full-view-Paul-Murphey.jpeg\" alt=\"Aerial view of forest with bare rock area in center. Holes in the rock -- dinosaur footprints-- are seen on the right of the bare area.\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" class=\"size-full wp-image-529343\"  \/><\/a>A wide aerial view of the sauropod track site. Image via Paul Murphey \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/news.uq.edu.au\/2025-11-looping-long-necked-dinosaur-site-reveals-its-secrets\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">The University of Queensland<\/a>.<br \/>\nStudying over 300 feet of sauropod tracks<\/p>\n<p>How does one analyze over 300 feet (91 meters) of dinosaur tracks? The scientists did it from above. They obtained detailed aerial images of the tracks using an <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">unmanned aerial vehicle<\/a> (UAV) or drone.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/West-Gold-Hill-Dinosaur-Tracksite-path-Romilio-A.-et-al.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/West-Gold-Hill-Dinosaur-Tracksite-path-Romilio-A.-et-al.jpg\" alt=\"Two upside-down Y-shaped figures that show the dinosaur's path. One is an actual image and the second is a false color image in green and yellow to bring out details.\" width=\"1600\" height=\"914\" class=\"size-full wp-image-529345\"  \/><\/a>These 2 illustrations show the path taken by the sauropod. The left illustration shows the actual image from the drone. The right illustration shows the same data in false color, to accentuate landscape details showing the tracks. Image via Romilio, A. et al. \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/news.uq.edu.au\/2025-11-looping-long-necked-dinosaur-site-reveals-its-secrets\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">The University of Queensland<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Paper co-author <a href=\"https:\/\/paleoresourcespecialists.com\/about\/leadership\/paul-c-murphey\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Paul Murphey<\/a>, of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sdnat.org\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">San Diego Natural History Museum<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/news.uq.edu.au\/2025-11-looping-long-necked-dinosaur-site-reveals-its-secrets\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">said<\/a>: <\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>It has been challenging to document these footprints from the ground because of the size of the trackway.<\/p>\n<p>We used drones to capture the entire trackway in high resolution.<\/p>\n<p>With these images we generated a detailed 3D model, which could then be digitally analyzed in the lab at millimeter-scale accuracy.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Romilio added:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>It was clear from the start that this animal began walking toward the northeast, completed a full loop, and then finished facing the same direction again.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The scientists reported that, based on the track measurements, the dinosaur was about 4.8 feet (1.5 meters) at its hips. It\u2019s hard to know how tall the creature was in full because they don\u2019t know which sauropod species made the tracks. But it appeared to be a small sauropod. Its stride length indicated it was walking leisurely at an average speed of 2 miles per hour (3 kph).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/West-Gold-Hill-Dinosaur-Tracksite-dinosaur-illustration-Anthony-Romilio.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/West-Gold-Hill-Dinosaur-Tracksite-dinosaur-illustration-Anthony-Romilio.png\" alt=\"A brown dinosaur with a long neck standing next to a man that reaches to the dinosaur's shoulder height. \" width=\"650\" height=\"553\" class=\"size-full wp-image-529346\"  \/><\/a>This image illustrates the size of the sauropod, based on track measurements, when compared to a man. Image via Anthony Romilio \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/news.uq.edu.au\/2025-11-looping-long-necked-dinosaur-site-reveals-its-secrets\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">The University of Queensland<\/a>.<br \/>\nDid this dinosaur limp?<\/p>\n<p>The tracks, particularly the section with the loop, revealed interesting information about how the dinosaur walked. <\/p>\n<p>Romilio <a href=\"https:\/\/news.uq.edu.au\/2025-11-looping-long-necked-dinosaur-site-reveals-its-secrets\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">commented<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Within that loop we found subtle, yet consistent, clues to its behavior.<\/p>\n<p>One of the clearest patterns was a variation in the width between left and right footprints, shifting from quite narrow to distinctly wide.<\/p>\n<p>This shift from narrow to wide step placement shows that footprint width can change naturally as a dinosaur moves, meaning short trackway segments with seemingly consistent widths may give a misleading picture of its usual walking style.<\/p>\n<p>We also detected a small but persistent difference in left and right step lengths, of about 10 centimeters or 4 inches.<\/p>\n<p>Whether that reflects a limp or simply a preference for one side is hard to say.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>He also remarked:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>There are many long dinosaur trackways around the world where this method could be applied to extract behavioral information that was previously inaccessible.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/West-Gold-Hill-dinosaur-tracksite-Paul-Murphey.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/West-Gold-Hill-dinosaur-tracksite-Paul-Murphey.jpeg\" alt=\"Intersecting paths of grey rock with holes in it (dinosaur footprints). \" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" class=\"size-full wp-image-529347\"  \/><\/a>Here\u2019s another view of the dinosaur\u2019s tracks at the intersection where it goes from south to east. Image via Paul Murphey \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/news.uq.edu.au\/2025-11-looping-long-necked-dinosaur-site-reveals-its-secrets\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">The University of Queensland<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Bottom line: Scientists analyzed the 150-million-year-old footprints of a sauropod dinosaur and found it might have been limping. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2673-7418\/5\/4\/67\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Source: Track by Track: Revealing Sauropod Turning and Lateralised Gait at the West Gold Hill Dinosaur Tracksite (Upper Jurassic, Bluff Sandstone, Colorado)<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.uq.edu.au\/2025-11-looping-long-necked-dinosaur-site-reveals-its-secrets\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Via University of Queensland<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/earthsky.org\/earth\/dinosaur-tracks-sauropod-colorado-national-forest\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Read more: Rare dinosaur tracks are longest continuous set of sauropod footprints<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/earthsky.org\/earth\/dinosaur-highway-unearthed-footprints\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Read more: New dinosaur highway dig reveals record-breaking footprints<\/a><\/p>\n<p>                    Shireen Gonzaga<br \/>\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/earthsky.org\/author\/shireengonzaga\/\" class=\"post-author-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">View Articles<\/a><\/p>\n<p>                    About the Author:<\/p>\n<p>Shireen Gonzaga is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about natural history. She is also a technical editor at an astronomical observatory where she works on documentation for astronomers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Scientists have shared a new study into this looping section of the dinosaur\u2019s tracks at West Gold Hill&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":211446,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[6599,18,19,17,133],"class_list":{"0":"post-211445","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-science","8":"tag-earth","9":"tag-eire","10":"tag-ie","11":"tag-ireland","12":"tag-science"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/115650319582827686","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211445","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=211445"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211445\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/211446"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=211445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=211445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=211445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}