Guide stumbles across one of world’s largest ever dinosaur footprints

A tourist guide has stumbled across a giant dinosaur footprint that is one of the biggest ever found. The print, which measures over a metre wide, is thought to have been made by the meat-eating Abelisaurus some 80 million years ago. Argentine palaeontologist Sebastian Apesteguia, who is studying the find, said the biped dinosaur, which once roamed South America, is the most likely creator of the 1.2 metre-wide print. It was found some 40 miles (64km) outside the city of Sucre in central Bolivia, in an area well known for dinosaur tracks being found in the soft clay of the region.

It is a record in size for carnivorous dinosaurs from the end of the Cretaceous period in South America.

Sebastian Apesteguia

The tour guide found the giant impression earlier this month. Skeletal remains of Abelisauruses have also previously been found in the region. “This print is bigger than any other we have found to date in the area,” Mr Apesteguia said.