Tracksite of Pterosaurs, Birds, and Dinosaurs in Chungmugong-dong, Jinju

Site details

This tracksite was discovered during the construction of Jinju Innovation City. In recognition of the remarkable results of the subsequent excavations and their outstanding scientific value, it was designated as a Natural Monument in 2011. The Jinju Pterosaur Tracks Museum was built over it to protect the fossil site and opened in November 2019. The site serves as a space for education and research where visitors can encounter traces of pterosaurs, dinosaurs, and other animals that lived in the Jinju area during the Cretaceous Period, roughly 110 million years ago. With more than 2,500 identified pterosaur tracks, it is regarded as one of the world’s leading pterosaur tracksites. Many rare fossils have also been discovered alongside these tracks, including exceptionally well-preserved lizard tracks and the world’s smallest raptor tracks. The site is therefore considered an important source of evidence for reconstructing the ecosystem in which pterosaurs, dinosaurs, birds, and other animals lived together during the Cretaceous Period.