Tracksite of Dinosaurs, Pterosaurs, and Birds in Uhang-ri, Haenam

Site details

This tracksite first drew media attention in 1996, following the first preliminary scientific study of its kind in the Jeolla-do Province region. It attracted great interest as the first site in the world where fossilized tracks of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and birds were found together in the same stratigraphic layer, and in 1998 it was designated as a Natural Monument. Today, visitors can see actual fossilized footprints preserved in the strata inside three protective shelters. In Shelter No. 2, Haenamichnus uhangriensis, the first pterosaur track fossil discovered in Asia, can be observed together with fossilized bird tracks. At the time of its discovery, Haenamichnus was the world’s largest known pterosaur track, with forefoot impressions measuring 330 mm in length and 110 mm in width, and hindfoot impressions measuring 350 mm in length and 105 mm in width. The bird tracks discovered alongside it were named Hwangsanipes choughi and Uhangrichnus chuni. They provide important evidence that the living environments of pterosaurs and birds overlapped at the time. Opened in 2007, the Haenam Dinosaur Museum is South Korea’s largest dinosaur museum, attracting around 200,000 visitors each year. In the eight exhibition halls on its first and second floors, the museum presents the Uhang-ri strata as well as skeletal fossils of dinosaurs and pterosaurs representing different geological periods. In particular, it houses Asia’s first and Korea’s only authentic Allosaurus fossil. The museum grounds also feature large life-size dinosaur sculptures, including one that appears to burst through the building, inspiring a vivid and dynamic visitor experience.