Cal Orck'o, Paleontological site near Sucre, Bolivia
Cal Orck'o is a limestone wall near Sucre displaying thousands of dinosaur footprints across its steep face. The formation stretches about 1200 meters long and rises 80 meters high, with tracks distributed along more than 460 different pathways.
Factory workers discovered the site by chance in 1985 while working nearby. Between 1994 and 1998, international paleontologists conducted major research that documented its scientific importance and established its worldwide recognition.
The name comes from Quechua words meaning lime hill, connecting the site to local indigenous language and geology. This linguistic tie shows how communities named places based on what they observed in their landscape.
The site is reached through the adjacent Cretaceous Park, which offers guided tour options for visitors. Come prepared for rough ground and intense sun exposure, so sturdy shoes and sun protection are advisable.
The wall holds footprints from around 294 different dinosaur species from the Cretaceous period. What makes this striking is evidence of ankylosaurs, armored dinosaurs that researchers did not know existed in South America before.
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