It’s being described as a crime of prehistoric proportions, and with good reason.
In perhaps one of the most mind-boggling acts of vandalism in the last 100 million years or so, persons unknown have apparently taken a hammer to ancient dinosaur footprints in a Victorian national park.
Parks rangers discovered the damage to the theropod footprint at Bunurong Marine Park near South Gippsland while taking a school group on a tour last week.
“It looked like somebody had taken to it with either a hammer or a rock, and had broken off sections of the toes,” Parks Victoria ranger Brian Martin told the BBC.
Mr Martin said it looked like the thugs deliberately targeted the imprint, which had been left uncovered for visitors to observe.
“They would need to know exactly where it is to find it,” he said. “Many people quite easily walk right past it.”
The ABC reports that the vandals also left the “freshly broken” pieces scattered around the tidal rock platform. The prehistoric three-toed mark is about 30 centimetres wide and was first discovered in 2006.
“The thrill of seeing a real dinosaur footprint has been diminished with the callous act of vandalism,” said Mike Cleeland, from the Bunurong Environment Centre. “Fortunately, I was able to retrieve some of the broken pieces of the footprint and hopefully the technicians at Museum Victoria may be able to restore the footprint to some degree.”
I would have to say this is the worst I have heard of.
Such a shame
Pure evil
Yes!!!! “”The bastards walk among us”” Hope they are caught and punished accordingly.
What a good behaviour bond !! That’s all that seems to be handed out these days.
It is hard to fathom the depths of depravity that would cause any person to commit such an act of pure bastardry. I hope whoever did it skites on Facebook or such and the Law jumps on them full force. The artefacts are priceless and totally irreplaceable – It brings tears to my eyes.
It wont matter if the law do catch up with them because the courts are so weak it will let them go with just a slap on the wrist