Uhangri Unleashed: Where Dinosaurs (Sort Of) Roam

Meanwhile in South Korea, dinosaurs brought back from extinction in a secret laboratory have broken out and are now roaming the Korean countryside, gobbling up the locals and generally doing the things that dinosaurs love to do.  However, this particular de-extinction has been brought about courtesy of wire framing, concrete and fiberglass rather than gene-splicing.  The Uhangri Dinosaur Center and Park - 해남공룡박물관 - may not host the real thing (it’s more of a visual, “colossal” fib but we're no strangers to that kind of thing, are we?) yet it’s still a great way to engage the public with all things cretaceous.

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Why here? Dinosaur footprints – lots of them – were discovered in the Haenam county of South Korea (located in the far southwestern tip of the country), specifically around the Uhangri formation.   That was in 1992 and since then the tracks of therapods, sauropods and ornithopods have been preserved in situ in the dinosaur museum that has been built over them.  To attract visitors, the idea of dinosaurs breaking free was dreamed up by someone who had never seen a certain American film franchise – honest.

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At the entrance to the small dinosaur museum, you'll spot life-sized models of dinosaurs that appear to be bursting out of the building itself—like they couldn’t be contained by four walls and a roof. The design is pure fun: parts of the wall and ceiling look like they’ve been smashed open, with giant dinosaur heads, claws, and tails sticking out at odd angles.

Back in the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era, there were once three major lakes in what is now Gyeongsang Province. Signs of those ancient lakes are still visible along Korea’s southern coast—especially in Uhangri, Haenam-gun (Haenam county).

Uhangri was originally part of the sea, but that changed when the Geumho Tide Embankment was built, forming Damsuho Lake. The lake now has a 3-4 meter high sea cliff stretching about 5 km, made of sedimentary rock dating back to the Cretaceous period.  Guess what was discovered in the new sea cliff…

Evidence of life. What makes Uhangri truly special is what’s locked in that rock: fossilized footprints of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and water birds that lived here millions of years ago. It’s the only site in the world where all three types of footprints have been found in one place.  You can see how the cliff has been very cleverly incorporated into the museum below.

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One pterosaur footprint discovered here is the largest ever found, measuring 20–35 cm. And a fossil of a web-footed bird proves that these birds lived during the Cretaceous- 20–30 million years earlier than similar fossils found in the U.S. from the Eocene period.  It is little wonder that a park was developed to showcase the discoveries.

Around the park, various dinosaurs that have already escaped can be found.  The designs of these huge creations were based on the most current research around dino-color and biomechanics.  Inside, visitors can see the famous footprints, as well as a multitude of state-of-the-art displays showcasing fossil discoveries in Haenam county.  The museum provides materials and exhibitions related to dinosaurs as well as Ulhang-ri as a natural heritage site.

The life-size models certainly do the job. The Dinosaur Museum was founded to promote the area's significance as a fossil site and the marketing department came up trumps; the museum is hugely popular in South Korea.  It’s safe to say - Uhangri’s dinosaurs left more than just footprints; they’ve stomped their way into the spotlight.

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