A recent find by quarry workers in Oxfordshire, England, highlights an astonishing moment in Earth’s history, revealing both predator and herbivore dinosaur tracks that date back to the Middle Jurassic period.
Quarry Workers Uncover Remarkable Dinosaur Footprints in Oxfordshire
Quarry Workers Uncover Remarkable Dinosaur Footprints in Oxfordshire
Significant discovery in an ancient Jurassic environment showcases evidence of a diverse dinosaur population.
In a remarkable discovery, quarry workers in Oxfordshire, England have unearthed what paleontologists are calling one of the most significant sets of dinosaur footprints in nearly thirty years. The claw marks of a daunting 30-foot-tall megalosaurus and a trail of tracks from other dinosaurs provide a unique glimpse into the Jurassic period, specifically around 166 million years ago.
Announced earlier this week, researchers revealed that the discovery consists of five distinct footprints located in a quarry roughly 60 miles northwest of London. It's notable that these prints indicate the presence of both herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs that once inhabited an environment that resembled the humid Florida Keys, complete with lagoons and muddy swamps, rather than the grassy landscapes seen today.
This area, continuously excavated since 1997, has gained recognition among scientists as the “dinosaur highway," where over 40 sets of footprints have been recorded across nearly 200 yards of terrain. The latest findings significantly bolster its status as one of the largest dinosaur discovery sites in the world, according to Emma Nicholls, a vertebrate paleontologist and collections manager at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. “These recent discoveries prove there is still new evidence of these animals out there, waiting to be found,” she noted.
Initially, the quarry workers were unsure of the significance of the unusual formations they found while clearing out clay in late 2023. Quarry manager Mark Stanway described the earliest indication of a dinosaur footprint simply as a “hump in the ground.” However, as the team continued their excavation, the magnitude of their discovery became abundantly clear, making it an exciting moment for both paleontologists and dinosaur enthusiasts alike.
