Landslides have exposed trails of dinosaur footprints running along a near-vertical rock face in Bolivia. And although the angle of the prints could suggest the lumbering reptiles were avid mountaineers, Bolivia’s Cal Orcko paleontological site is the result of tectonic activity that forced the earth upwards. The attraction, at Fancesa limestone quarry in Sucre, comprises some 462 trails made up of 5,055 prints - and frequent landslides reveal new ones, some of which belong to  unknown species. Boliva’s Cal Orcko paleontological site is the result of tectonic activity, forcing earth upwards and preserving the precious trackways so that dinosaur tracks are seen on a vertical 'wall' (pictured) The wall, which is the largest dinosaur trackway in the world, is approximately 390 feet (120 metres) tall and features tracks made by at least eight species of dinosaurs,The Daily Beast reported. Some of them are more than a metre in length, indicating the size of some of the vast beasts that roamed the area in the upper cretaceous period - a time in which the majority of dinosaurs lived. At first glance, it appears that large dinosaurs such as the Titanosaurs and armoured Ankylosauruses hauled their considerable bulks up the incredibly steep slope, which measures one mile (1.5km). But the imprinted rock was once horizontal before being pushed upwards by tectonic activity. The attraction, at Fancesa limestone quarry in Sucre, Bolivia (left), comprises some 462 trails made up of 5,055 prints (right) – and frequent landslides reveal new ones, some of which belong to unknown species . The wall, which is the largest dinosaur trackway in the world, is approximately 390 feet (120 metres) tall and features tracks made by at least eight species of dinosaurs. Some, like the one pictured, are large . In 2009, fossil hunters came across what are thought to be among the world's largest dinosaur prints. Measuring 5ft (1.5 metres) wide, they were made by long-necked sauropods 150 million years ago and were found in chalky sediment in the Jura plateau of eastern France. It's thought the Late Jurassic dinosaurs were more than 75 ft (23 metres) long and weighed up to 40 tonnes. Palaeontologist Jean-Michel Mazin of France’s National Centre of Scientific Research, said at the time, from the prints, ‘we can calculate their size and speed, find out about their behaviour and learn how they got around.' ‘They were very hard to see because there were a lot of little stones (on the ground), there was grass growing there, and you really had to have a trained eye to notice something,’ Dr Mazin said. The area was not mountainous when the dinosaurs were alive and the region had lots of water and islands, meaning the tracks were preserved by the sea and sediment. This activity thrust a huge slab of earth upwards, which dried into limestone and now resembles a cliff face. However, the site looked very different millions of years ago, when the region was muddy and flat. The dinosaurs left their mark while walking along the shoreline of a large lake. There are layers of prints preserved in the limestone because the marks hardened in dry periods, before being covered in preservative mud, enabling the process to start again. Paleontologist Klaus Schutt also suggested that a huge volcanic eruption threw millions of cubic metres of ash into space 68 million years ago, which gradually covered the prints to protect them, Unesco reported. A decade after the discovery, which was made by miners in the mid 1980s, palaeontologists began to document the prints. Due to the spacing of these prints, experts can use them to reveal clues about the dinosaurs’ gait, build and lifestyle. One set of tracks, for example, revealed two lines of prints with a smaller pair, suggesting a baby walked alongside its parents, while another set, now known as Johnny Walker, was made by a baby T.Rex. When some are removed, or crumble away, more are revealed underneath. While there may be more precious footprints yet to be found, some experts say Cal Orcko, which means ‘lime hill’ in the Quechua tongue, is under threat from human activity. The imprinted rock was pushed upwards by tectonic activity, thrusting a huge slab of earth upwards, which dried into limestone and now resembles a cliff face (pictured) At first glance, it appears that large dinosaurs (such as the one pictured) as well as Titanosaurs and armoured Ankylosauruses, hauled their considerable bulks up the incredibly steep slope . The site, at Fancesa limestone quarry in Sucre (shown on the map) attracts 120,000 tourists every year, which some believe is a threat to the site, as well as a nearby cement works that uses limestone . The dinosaurs left their mark (pictured) while walking along the shoreline of a large lake. Their tracks dried in the hot season and were preserved before more mud and possibly volcanic ash covered and preserved them . The site attracts 120,000 tourists every year, while a nearby cement factory pulls limestone from a local quarry. ‘The cliff has been quite affected by the many years of extracting the raw material,’ Elizabeth Baldivieso, administrator of Cretaceous Park which protects the fossil filed, told AFP. But she has been branded an alarmist. A decade after their discovery, which was made by miners in the mid 1980s, palaeontologists began to document the prints (some of which are shown). Due to the spacing of these prints, experts can use them to reveal clues about the dinosaurs’ gait, build and lifestyle . While there may be more precious footprints yet to be found, some experts say Cal Orcko, which means ‘lime hill’ in the Quechua tongue, is under threat from human activity. Here, a volcanic rock containing a print is on display at the Bolivian park .
There are 462 trails of 5,055 prints on a vertical limestone slab in Bolivia . Rock was pushed upwards by tectonic movement, standing 390 feet tall . Site's thought to be the largest dinosaur trackway in the world and includes footprints made by numerous species and baby dinosaurs such as T.Rex . Attraction is prone to landslide and is said to be under threat from humans .