New dinosaur tracks discovered in South Africa's Western Cape

In 2022, researchers explored potential dinosaur track sites in South Africa's Western Cape, a region with a rich but incomplete fossil record. Unlike the extensive Mesozoic fossil evidence found in other areas, the Southern African record ends at approximately 180 million years ago, after which volcanic activity limited fossil preservation. During their investigation, the team identified numerous tracks, primarily from sauropods and possibly ornithopods, occurring in estuarine environments. The discovery not only highlights the age of the tracks, estimated at around 140 million years old, but also establishes them as some of the youngest dinosaurs known from southern Africa. The findings were substantiated by the presence of other dinosaur fossils, including a theropod tooth found by a young boy, showcasing ongoing public interest and discovery in palaeontological research. Researchers advocate for greater awareness and engagement with local fossil sites, emphasizing the thrill of discovery in natural history, and encourage additional exploration of the Western Cape as a potentially fruitful area for further dinosaur research.