Dinosaur footprints reveal ancient giants in UK quarry find
In the United Kingdom, about 200 giant dinosaur footprints from 166 million years ago have been discovered. This find allows scientists to track the movements of two species of dinosaurs: the herbivorous Cetiosaurus and the predatory Megalosaurus, reports the BBC.
The largest site in the history of the United Kingdom for dinosaur footprints was discovered in a quarry in Oxfordshire county. About 200 gigantic footprints from 166 million years ago intersect on the limestone base, revealing the movements of two different dinosaur species, reports the BBC.
According to scientists, the footprints belong to the herbivorous, long-necked Cetiosaurus and the smaller, carnivorous Megalosaurus. The longest trackways are 492 feet long and may be even longer, as only part of the quarry has been surveyed.
This is one of the most impressive track sites I've ever seen, in terms of scale, in terms of the size of the tracks, said Prof. Kirsty Edgar, a micropaleontologist from the University of Birmingham, to the BBC.
The footprints were first noticed by Gary Johnson, a quarry worker, while operating an excavator. He noticed regular bulges every 10 feet and realized they might be dinosaur footprints, adds the British portal.
In the summer, over 100 scientists, students, and volunteers joined the excavations. The team found five different trackways: four belonging to sauropods, which were up to 59 feet long, and one attributed to the Megalosaurus, a predator ranging from 20 to 30 feet long.
The footprints were likely preserved due to sediments deposited by storms, which covered and protected them from erosion. Prof. Richard Butler from the University of Birmingham explains that the footprints provide unique information about the behavior of these animals and their environment.
The research team meticulously documented the find, creating casts and over 20,000 photographs to produce 3D models. In one area, it was discovered that the paths of Cetiosaurus and Megalosaurus intersected, which helped determine the order of their passage.
