Back in January , palaeontologists incriminate Utah officials of driving over a precious fossil site after dismantling a boardwalk nearby , possibly irreparably damaging 112 million - year - old dinosaur footmark and animal tracks . These ancient remnants are super delicate and can not be easily watch , but contain more than 200 dinosaur tracks left by 10 clear-cut species .
The Center for Biological Diversity ( CBD ) filed acease - and - desist letteragainst the US Bureau of Land Management ( BLM ) Utah government agency , calling for the immediate check of the destruction of Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite near Moab . Heavy machinery was being used to repair a wooden boardwalk for holidaymaker . In doing so , it come along a backhoe had drive over the authoritative archeological web site .
Now , an investigation by the BLM itself has detail the extent of the terms in anew composition .
accord to theBureau itself , the web site is “ one of the most significant early Cretaceous tracksites in the world ” and visitors should “ avoid walking directly on the caterpillar tread - bearing open at all times . ” However , consort to the composition , " Construction crews impacted track - turn out surfaces immediately east of the walkways with vehicles during the remotion and load of boardwalk palettes onto the trailer . As a result , suggestion dodo were damaged . "
“ I ’m absolutely indignant that the BLM has obviously destroyed one of the world ’s most authoritative palaeontological resources , ” said Patrick Donnelly , Great Basin director at the CBD , in astatement .
“ This regardless neglect for these irreplaceable traces of the past is dismaying . It really call into question the Bureau ’s competency as a land - management agency . ”
In a program line sent to various media outlets back in January , includingGizmodoand Fox News , the Utah BLM said it is “ attached to balancing imagination protection and public access to the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite , and other public lands care by the Moab Field Office , which go forward to receive high visitation . The Moab Field Office is act to improve safe public access with an updated boardwalk that is contrive to protect the rude resources of this site . During that try , heavy equipment is on fix , but it is absolutely not used in the protected arena . ”
The investigation now shows that dense machinery had in fact force back over the tracksite , repeatedly . " Proximate to and along the northeastern side of the boardwalk an important crocodile sliding board track … is partly buried by deposit . Unfortunately , this vestige was repeatedly drive over , as recent tire tracks indicate that this area was impacted by the backhoe and other vehicle . This trace fossil appears to have sustained some fracturing damage , " the report states .
This location had apparently been cleared for fomite , despite the track being known about and flagged . However , another incision that also had known significant tracks and was not cleared for fomite traffic was also touch on by vehicles used for the boardwalk renovations . Although the report tell it ’s not vindicated if legal injury to the track was already existent and because of weathering , the fleck should have been flagged and quash .
The site remains a alone slice of archaeological importance , and the BLM Utah wish to continue to make it accessible to the public . In 2021 , the BLM okay the replacement of the wooden boardwalk with a more long-lived concrete and blade replacement , though it is unclear whether the programme will retain in light of the recent guess site demolition .
This is n’t the first clock time drivers have n’t given archeologic internet site of unparalleled value their due deference . In February 2018 , a truck driver allegedly ignored signs anddrove across Peru ’s notable Nasca linesto avoid pay a toll . In March 2020 , a pick - up truck was foundcrashed into one of Rapa Nui ’s ( Easter Island ) famed moai statue , “ seriously prejudicial ” the important ethnic token .
