Silicone-print of the Paravipus-track

The raptor tracks that were found in November 2006 had to be saved as well. These tracks proofed for the first time the existence of these raptors in Africa. Cutting out the footprints and transporting them to Germany would have been a costly and destructive method, however. Furthermore not all footprints could have been saved that way. So the team decided to cast 7 metres of the prints in mould. To do this the scientists firstly formed a 10 cm high plaster wall. Once this was dry the liquid silicone could be poured in. However, due to the high humidity the silicone had not hardened by the time of departure, so the team decided to leave it in place until the next year.