Researchers have uncovered dinosaur tracks dating to 132 million years ago along South Africa’s Western Cape coast, significantly extending the known fossil record of dinosaurs in the region.
How the discovery changes understanding of Cretaceous dinosaur presence
The tracks, found in the Brenton Formation near Knysna, are 50 million years younger than the previously youngest known dinosaur tracks from South Africa’s Karoo Basin. They represent only the second set of Cretaceous dinosaur tracks identified in the country and the second from the Western Cape province.
What the site reveals about dinosaur behavior and environment
More than two dozen possible footprints were identified in an area measuring no more than 40 meters long and five meters wide. The concentration of tracks in such a limited space indicates dinosaurs were relatively common in this coastal environment during the early Cretaceous Period.
How old are the newly discovered tracks?
The tracks are estimated to be about 132 million years old, dating to the early Cretaceous Period.
Why are these tracks significant for paleontology in southern Africa?
They fill a major gap in the fossil record between Jurassic volcanic activity and later Cretaceous evidence, showing dinosaurs persisted in the region after massive lava flows altered the landscape around 182 million years ago.
