Quarry workers in England have uncovered significant dinosaur footprints, including those of a 30-foot-tall predator, in what paleontologists are calling one of the most important finds in Britain in nearly three decades. The discovery, made last summer in a quarry in Oxfordshire, consists of five distinct prints belonging to both herbivorous and carnivorous dinosaurs from the Middle Jurassic period, approximately 166 million years ago.
The area, which resembles the humid lagoons and muddy swamps of the Florida Keys during the Jurassic period, has been known as the "dinosaur highway" since its first excavation in 1997. Scientists have previously identified over 40 sets of footprints across nearly 200 yards, and this latest find enhances its status as one of the largest dinosaur discovery sites worldwide, according to vertebrate paleontologist Emma Nicholls from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
Initially, quarry workers did not recognize the significance of the unusual humps they found while clearing clay. Mark Stanway, the quarry manager, noted that the first trace was simply a hump in the ground.
Paleontologists from the University of Birmingham and Oxford examined the site in November 2023, identifying clawed, three-toed footprints characteristic of dinosaurs. These tracks were attributed to a megalosaurus, a large predator that stood about 30 feet tall and weighed one and a half tons. The discovery coincides with the 200th anniversary of the scientific naming of megalosaurus in 1824.
The other four prints are believed to belong to a herbivorous sauropod, likely a cetiosaurus, which could reach lengths of approximately 60 feet and weigh around two tons. The footprints measured over three feet long and one and a half feet deep.
The interaction between the species is also of interest to researchers, as the footprints suggest that the sauropods were moving steadily north until one stopped and possibly looked back, indicating a moment of interaction with the megalosaurus.
Moreover, the varying sizes of the sauropod tracks suggest the possibility of herd movement, including juveniles or smaller herbivores, while the megalosaurus appears to have traveled alone.
In addition to the terrestrial evidence, scientists discovered marine life within the prints, including brachiopods, gastropods, bivalves, and echinoids, indicating a dynamic ecosystem influenced by higher sea levels during the Jurassic period.
Advancements in technology over the past three decades have enhanced the ability of scientists to document their findings. During a week of fieldwork last summer, researchers captured hundreds of photographs, created molds, recorded drone footage, and developed three-dimensional models of the prints for ongoing study.
Despite the significant findings, quarry operations continue unaffected, and Stanway expressed optimism about the potential for further discoveries in the future.