New dinosaur tracks have been discovered in the Paluxy River in Dinosaur Valley State Park, located in Glen Rose, southwest of Dallas, Texas.  The park, which is known for its dinosaur tracks (hence its name) is a popular tourist spot. 

Severe drought, which is affecting Texas and many parts of the Western states, has caused the waters to dry up and recede. The new tracks were found buried under the sediment.

According to CNN, more than 60 percent of Texas had drought conditions last week following heat waves with triple-digit temperatures.

“Due to the excessive drought conditions this past summer, the river dried up completely in most locations, allowing for more tracks to be uncovered here in the park,” Stephanie Salinas Garcia, a spokesperson for the park, told reporters.

“Under normal river conditions, these newer tracks are underwater and are commonly filled in with sediment, making them buried and not as visible,” Garcia said. “Being able to find these discoveries and experience new dinosaur tracks is always an exciting time at the park!”

The park contains tracks that are from about 113 million years ago and belong to the species Acrocanthosaurus and Sauroposeidon. The former was a theropod (a meat-eating, bipedal dinosaur), and the latter was a sauropod (a very large quadrupedal plant-eating dinosaur with a long neck and tail, massive body and small head).

The Acrocanthosaurus was about 15 feet tall and seven tons. Sauroposeidon was about 60 feet tall and about 44 tons!

The tracks are likely to be buried again when the park experiences rainfall. So dinosaur enthusiasts should check them out right away. Or wait and they will be uncovered again at another time. 

Garcia said that the park protects the tracks and through rain or drought, they will be available for future generations of visitors to the park to experience.