Melting Ice Reveals Fossilised Footprints of Reptiles and Amphibians from 280 Million Years Ago.
In a groundbreaking discovery in the northern Italian Alps, a hiker has uncovered what experts believe to be the first evidence of an entire prehistoric ecosystem. The discovery was exposed by melting snow and ice due to the ongoing climate crisis. The find consists of well-preserved footprints of reptiles and amphibians.
The location of the discovery is the Valtellina Orobie mountain range in Lombardy. The area dates back 280 million years to the Permian period, the geological era preceding the age of dinosaurs. Claudia Steffensen, a resident of Lovero in Sondrio province, made the discovery while hiking with her husband in the Ambria Valley, near the Swiss border.
Recalling the moment, Steffensen described the unusual markings she encountered, “It was a particularly hot summer day, and we sought refuge in the mountains. On our descent, I noticed a rock that resembled cement with peculiar circular designs and wavy lines. Upon closer inspection, I realised they were footprints.”
Steffensen documented her findings with photographs, forwarding them to a friend, Elio Della Ferrera, a natural-world photographer. The images were subsequently examined by Cristiano Dal Sasso, a palaeontologist at the Museum of Natural History in Milan, who enlisted further expertise.
A Window into the Permian Era
Situated 1,700 metres above sea level, the footprints were identified as belonging to a prehistoric reptile. Further exploration of the Valtellina Orobie nature park, including areas nearly 3,000 metres high, uncovered hundreds of similar fossilised traces. These impressions are attributed to at least five distinct species of reptiles, amphibians, and insects.
Dal Sasso emphasised the significance of the find, “Dinosaurs had not yet emerged, but the largest footprints suggest creatures of substantial size, up to two or three metres in length.”
Lorenzo Marchetti, an ichnologist at the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, highlighted the exceptional preservation of the fossils, which included intricate details such as fingernail imprints and the texture of belly skin. Additionally, the site yielded plant fragments, seeds, and even fossilised raindrop impressions—an invaluable glimpse into the Permian ecosystem.
Climate Change and Unveiling the Past
The Permian period concluded with a catastrophic mass extinction caused by a dramatic rise in global temperatures. Today’s warming climate has inadvertently revealed other prehistoric finds in the Italian Alps, including crocodile-like reptile footprints discovered at an altitude of 2,200 metres in Piedmont’s Altopiano della Gardetta.
Doriano Codega, president of the Valtellina Orobie Nature Park, noted that climate change played a role in this latest discovery, “The fossils were exceptionally preserved and found at remarkable altitudes, brought to light by landslides and rock detachments. This is a major palaeontological breakthrough.”
Some of the findings have been transported to Milan, where they are on display at the Museum of Natural History, with further research at the site ongoing.
Steffensen, whose contribution has been named “Rock Zero,” expressed pride in her role, “It’s an honour to have made a small contribution to science.”
What Does the Future Hold?
What other secrets of our planet’s ancient past might emerge as the climate crisis continues to reshape the Earth’s landscapes?
Could the retreat of ice and snow offer new insights into long-lost ecosystems, and at what cost to our current environment?
The discovery in the Italian Alps not only provides a glimpse into a prehistoric world but also raises profound questions about the impact of our changing climate on the preservation and revelation of Earth’s history.