The largest dinosaur trackway site ever discovered in the UK has been found in a quarry in Oxfordshire. Approximately 200 massive footprints, dating back 166 million years, criss-cross the limestone floor, providing a glimpse into the movements of two different types of dinosaurs believed to be a long-necked sauropod known as Cetiosaurus and the smaller meat-eating Megalosaurus. Some trackways are as long as 150m, but they may extend even further as only a portion of the quarry has been excavated.
Professor Kirsty Edgar, a micropalaeontologist from the University of Birmingham, described the site as one of the most impressive she has ever seen in terms of scale and track size. She explained that observing these tracks allows us to imagine these enormous creatures wandering around in their natural habitat.
The distinct three-toed prints are believed to have been made by Megalosaurus. Gary Johnson, a worker at Dewars Farm Quarry, first noticed the tracks while operating a digger. He initially thought they were just abnormalities in the ground until he realized they formed a pattern that resembled dinosaur footprints, leading to an exciting discovery.
This summer, over 100 scientists, students, and volunteers participated in an excavation at the quarry, uncovering five different trackways. The team found four sauropod trackways, with footprints resembling those of an elephant but on a much larger scale, as these dinosaurs reached lengths of up to 18m. Another trackway is attributed to a Megalosaurus, characterized by distinctive three-toed prints.
The dinosaurs left their footprints as they traversed a tropical lagoon environment. The team carefully studied the trackways during the excavation, making casts of the prints and creating 3D models from over 20,000 photographs. The preservation of these ancient footprints remains a mystery, with theories suggesting a storm event may have led to their fossilization.
The allure of a dinosaur footprint lies in the unique insight it provides into the life of the ancient creature, according to Professor Butler. “You can learn things about how that animal moved. You can learn exactly what the environment that it was living in was like. So tracks give us a whole different set of information that you can’t get from the bone fossil record,” he explained.
The discovery of trackways at an excavation site offers a glimpse into a prehistoric crossroads, revealing a fascinating intersection of paths once trodden by majestic dinosaurs. The excavation, conducted during the summer, unearthed trackways extending up to 150m, hinting at a potentially larger network within the quarry.
In a remarkable find, one area of the site exposes a rare encounter between a sauropod and a megalosaurus, showcasing a moment frozen in time when their paths crossed. The preservation of these prints is exceptional, allowing the team to discern the sequence of passage – the sauropod preceding the megalosaurus, as evidenced by the slight distortion in the former’s footprint caused by the latter’s steps.
Dr. Duncan Murdock of Oxford University expressed the exhilaration of tracing the footsteps of an individual dinosaur, envisioning its journey through the ancient terrain, pulling its legs from the mud as it moved. The meticulous study of these imprints offers a captivating window into the behaviors and interactions of these long-extinct creatures.
The fate of the trackways remains uncertain, with ongoing discussions between the scientists, quarry operators at Smiths Bletchington, and Natural England on strategies to preserve this invaluable site for the future. The tantalizing prospect of more undiscovered footprints lurking beneath the surface fuels the team’s determination to safeguard these echoes of a bygone era.
The excavation’s findings will be showcased on “Digging for Britain” on BBC Two at 20:00 on Wednesday, January 8th, offering viewers a firsthand glimpse into the world of paleontology. The complete series will be accessible on BBC iPlayer starting January 7th, inviting audiences to delve deeper into this remarkable journey through time.
