Dinosaur footprints, discovered last year by a walker in the rock at a beach in the Welsh seaside resort of Penarth (UK), are 200 to 250 million years old, the UK said on Friday. London Natural History Museum.
These are probably traces of animals from the sauropodomorph family, these long-necked dinosaurs, the best known of which is the diplodocus.
The footprints are spread over regarding fifty meters. They are now modeled in 3D images. Scientists have published their article in the scientific journal “Geological Magazine“.
Ancient Sauropodomorph Footprints Discovered in Wales: A Glimpse into the Triassic Period
In a groundbreaking discovery, dinosaur footprints found on a Welsh beach in Penarth have been dated back to the Triassic period, approximately 200 to 250 million years ago. The London Natural History Museum has confirmed the age of these ancient tracks, which were initially discovered by a walker last year. According to recent reports, a 10-year-old girl in Wales also made a similar discovery, finding 220-million-year-old footprints belonging to a dinosaur [[2]].
The footprints, spread over 50 meters, are believed to belong to the sauropodomorph family, a group of long-necked dinosaurs. The most well-known member of this family is the diplodocus. These massive creatures roamed the earth during the Triassic period, and the discovery of their footprints provides valuable insights into their behavior and habitat.
Researchers from the Natural History Museum have been investigating these “footprints” since they were first revealed in 2020 [[3]]. The footprints have been modeled in 3D images, allowing scientists to study them in detail. The findings have been published in the scientific journal “Geological Magazine”.
Interestingly, the discovery of these footprints is not the first time that dinosaur tracks have been found in Wales. In 2021, a trail of footprints discovered in Penarth was believed to date back to the Triassic period [[1]]. However, this latest discovery provides more concrete evidence of the existence of sauropodomorphs in the region during that time period.
The discovery of these ancient footprints is a significant find for paleontologists and dinosaur enthusiasts alike. It provides a unique glimpse into the lives of these prehistoric creatures and sheds light on the Triassic period, a time of great transition and evolution in the history of life on Earth.