Fossilized tracks show dinosaurs could swim (2)

Based on the claw marks, which cover a distance of 15 meters, the researchers infer that the dinosaur swam with coordinated leg movements.

"The dinosaur swims by alternating movements of its hind legs, which push it forward like oars," said Martin Lockley, a co-author from the US.

"Swimming could be the born ability of dinosaurs, just like dogs'," he said.

Worldwide, the first compelling evidence of dinosaurs being able to swim was discovered in 2007, when 12 footprints were found in the bed of an ancient lake in northern Spain.

China could have found more dinosaur tracks of this kind though, the latest being found is just a lucky survival.

Some tracks in the same mountain region had been exposed during a mining operation in 2003, when a miner found hundreds of indentations on the surface of a slope where a charge had been detonated.

At least 12 tracks were clearly visible. But before anyone could look closely at them, another charge was detonated and the tracks were gone.

In 2006, paleontologists researched other indentations in nearby area and found they were fossil-footprints of Jurassic age dinosaurs.

With the hope of finding remaining dinosaur footprints, Xing and his team arrived at the mining site in 2012 and found the tracks.

"The protection of ancient remains of dinosaurs is not enough. Most people only care about the fossilized skeletons of dinosaurs, but the trace fossils, like footprints, should be protected too," Xing said.

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