El Ciudadano
Original article: Huella de Ave encontrada en Chile alcanzaría hasta los 130 mil años de antigüedad
Findings in Pilauco Reveal Bird and Mammal Footprints That May Exceed 100,000 Years.
A scientifically significant discovery has been made at the paleoarchaeological site of Pilauco, located in the commune of Osorno, where a team from the Austral University of Chile unearthed fossilized bird tracks that could date back as far as 130,000 years.
The discovery originated in January of this year when Carlos Morel and Monserrat Jaure noticed an unusual mark on the ground and decided to consult their friend José Band, an archaeology student from the university, who then connected them with Dr. Karen Moreno.
After visiting the site in March, Dr. Moreno, along with students and members of the Pilauco Archaeopaleontological Site team, confirmed the significance of the find. “We observed that the bird track was exceptionally well-preserved, and there was immense potential for discovering more,” stated Dr. Moreno.
However, even before the heavy rains of March, the discovery was located at a low elevation compared to the water level in an area that floods during winter. In light of this situation, and after notifying the National Monuments Council, a recovery operation was conducted that enabled the team to retrieve a primary track and identify at least two additional tracks from the same bird within the same sediment layer.
The characteristics suggest a waterfowl similar in size to a large heron. One of the tracks distinctly shows the back toe, reinforcing the hypothesis of a bird adapted for walking in moist or shallow areas. This discovery is particularly important as bird track records in Chile are extremely rare.
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