British scientists have unearthed nearly 200 dinosaur footprints, dating back 166 million years, in a quarry in Oxfordshire, England.
This discovery, which dates back to the Middle Jurassic period, was initially discovered in 2023 when a quarry worker noticed “unusual protrusions” in the ground while extracting limestone for road construction.
The trails were nicknamed “dinosaur road”, in reference to the paths left by these prehistoric creatures.
Although other Jurassic tracks have been documented in various parts of the world, this new discovery in Oxfordshire is thought to be the largest known dinosaur track site in the UK.
In June 2024, around 100 volunteers from the universities of Birmingham and Oxford came together to excavate and record information about the site.
The discovery coincided with the 200th anniversary of the description of the first dinosaur, Megalosaurus, found in the same region in 1824.
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During the excavation, researchers discovered five extensive tracks, with the longest being more than 150 meters long.
Four of these tracks contained marks of long-necked herbivorous dinosaurs, known as sauropods, possibly from the genus Cetiosaurus, which could reach up to 18 meters in length. The widest marks measured about 90 centimeters.
The fifth track contained impressions of Megalosaurus, a carnivorous dinosaur that could measure up to 9 meters in length.
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The footprints provide clues about the behavior of these dinosaurs, such as their social interactions and eating habits.
Scientists found that most dinosaurs were moving toward the northeast at an average speed of about 5 km/h, similar to a human’s gait.
Megalosaurus’s tracks intersected those of sauropods, indicating that the predator may have moved through the area shortly after the herbivores.
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The preservation of these footprints is a result of the conditions of the land during the Jurassic: the soft soil and the presence of water helped to preserve the prints, which were quickly covered by sediment, protecting them from erosion.
Researchers plan to continue their excavations and analysis, using aerial images to create 3D models of the footprints, allowing for further investigation into these past inhabitants.
