Topic: Biology

Scientists found dinosaur tracks on a remote coastline in South Africa. The tracks are about 132 million years old and show that dinosaurs lived there long after massive volcanic eruptions.

Dinosaurs once roamed southern Africa, but then massive volcanic eruptions spread lava across the region. This event happened around 182 million years ago during the Jurassic Period. After that, the fossil record in the area became quiet for a while. But recent discoveries are changing this picture.

In 2025, scientists found dinosaur tracks about 140 million years old on a remote stretch of coastline in South Africa's Western Cape. Now, they've discovered even more evidence. A team of researchers regularly works along the Western Cape coast near Knysna and focuses on tracks preserved in coastal rocks that are between 50,000 and 400,000 years old.

During a visit in early 2025, they explored a small outcrop of rock formed in the early Cretaceous Period. It's the only nearby exposure of rock from that time, and much of it is submerged at high tide. The team hoped to find a theropod tooth like one discovered earlier by a 13-year-old boy. Instead, they found something far more exciting.

Linda Helm, a member of the group, spotted dinosaur tracks. A closer look revealed more than two dozen possible footprints. This tiny site has big significance because it shows that dinosaurs were fairly common in this region during the Cretaceous Period.

The researchers estimate the tracks are about 132 million years old, making them the youngest known dinosaur tracks in southern Africa. They also represent only the second known set of Cretaceous dinosaur tracks in South Africa and the second from the Western Cape.

Why It Matters

This discovery matters because it helps us understand what life was like on Earth during the time of dinosaurs. It also shows that even after massive volcanic eruptions, some species can still survive.

Key Facts

• Dinosaur tracks were found in South Africa's Western Cape, dating back to about 132 million years ago.
• The tracks are the youngest known dinosaur tracks in southern Africa and show that dinosaurs lived there long after massive volcanic eruptions.
• This discovery is significant because it provides new evidence of what life was like during the time of dinosaurs.

Key Terms

Cretaceous Period

A geological period that lasted from about 145 million to 66 million years ago, when dinosaurs were still alive.

Implications

This discovery matters because it helps us understand what life was like on Earth during the time of dinosaurs. It also shows that even after massive volcanic eruptions, some species can still survive.