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First-ever adult Tyrannosaurus rex trackway discovered in North Dakota badlands
WLWT • • science
Key Points:
- Paleontologists have discovered the first known trackway of a full-grown Tyrannosaurus rex, consisting of four connected footprints found in southwestern North Dakota near the Montana border.
- The trackway, about 23 feet long with footprints roughly 3 feet each, indicates the T. rex was walking at 3.5 to 4.5 mph despite weighing over seven tons.
- This discovery is significant as it provides behavioral insight by showing how the T. rex moved, unlike previous isolated footprints found in New Mexico and Montana.
- The tracks were attributed to T. rex due to their size, shape, and the presence of numerous tyrannosaur bones in the surrounding rock, including a juvenile specimen nicknamed "Teen Rex."
- Three of the footprints will be airlifted to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science for further study, and the tracks date back approximately 66.5 million years, near the end of the Cretaceous period.
