Unearthing the Past: What Lies Ahead for England’s Incredible Dinosaur Highway?

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Numerous footprints were unearthed at a quarry in southeast England. The location is a renowned ‘dinosaur highway,’ yet the plans for its conservation remain ambiguous.

• Researchers successfully dated the tracks to the mid-Jurassic Period, around 166 million years ago.
• A group of over 100 scientists, volunteers, and students participated in a week-long excavation in June at the location.
• Four groups of tracks were produced by a colossal herbivorous species known as sauropods, while a fifth set was created by the formidable Megalosaurus, a bipedal predator.
• Experts amalgamated more than 20,000 images collected from drones and traditional photography to construct 3D models of the site for future research.

In 2023, an employee at a limestone quarry in southeast England stumbled upon some peculiar bumps while using his vehicle to clear clay and reveal the quarry floor.

Given that the quarry is situated in an area renowned by paleontologists for its abundance of dinosaur-related evidence, experts were summoned. Shortly thereafter, it was confirmed that those odd bumps were in fact countless dinosaur footprints buried for millions of years beneath layers of sediment.

The footprints, which date back to 166 million years ago during the Middle Jurassic Period, create multiple extensive trackways that scientists refer to as a “dinosaur highway.” In June, researchers and volunteers from the Universities of Oxford and Birmingham excavated the site, declaring their findings as the most significant dinosaur track discovery in over 25 years in the UK.

“These footprints provide an incredible insight into the existence of dinosaurs, uncovering details regarding their movements, interactions, and the warm environment they inhabited,” stated Kirsty Edgar, a micropalaeontology professor at the University of Birmingham who participated in the excavation, in a statement.

Although it remains uncertain what will transpire regarding the site itself, the 200 footprints that the team uncovered have been incorporated into detailed 3D models for subsequent study. The excavation is also now featured in a BBC broadcast, available for streaming in the U.S.

Here’s everything you need to know about the revealed “dinosaur highway,” and what may be forthcoming for paleontologists.

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Tracks of two dinosaurs discovered in Oxfordshire

Researchers managed to date the tracks to the mid-Jurassic Period, around 166 million years ago. At that time, Oxfordshire was submerged beneath a warm tropical sea with shallow lagoons divided by mudflats.

The tracks are so ancient that they greatly predate the extinction of the dinosaurs approximately 66 million years ago when a colossal asteroid struck Earth. This enormous extraterrestrial object, known as the Chicxulub impactor, is broadly believed to have brought an end to the era of non-avian dinosaurs, changing the planet’s climate and paving the wayfor mammals to emerge from the figurative ashes.

However, prior to the dinosaur extinction event, these beings were believed to be plentiful in what is currently referred to as the United Kingdom.

The five trails discovered by researchers might only represent a small portion of the potential finds in an area where dinosaurs were presumed to have once thrived in significant quantities. The longest of the trails spanned over 150 meters, or close to 500 feet.

Four sets of tracks were attributed to a massive herbivorous group referred to as sauropods, a lineage of dinosaurs that share a close relation with the Diplodocus, according to the researchers.

The Brontosaurus and Brachiosaurus are possibly the most well-known among the sauropods – dinosaurs recognizable by their elongated necks, lengthy tails, diminutive heads, and four column-like legs. Nonetheless, these particular sauropods are considered to belong to a lineage identified as the Cetiosaurus, which means “whale lizard.”

Researchers believe that a fifth set of tracks was created by a Megalosaurus. This 30-foot-tall carnivorous theropod was a formidable predator equipped with three-toed claws, moving on two rear legs and bearing a resemblance to a creature akin to a Velociraptor.

The Megalosaurus also holds the distinction of being the first dinosaur to be scientifically named and described in 1824.

“Researchers have been aware of and examining Megalosaurus longer than any other dinosaur on Earth,” stated Emma Nicholls, a vertebrate paleontologist and collections manager at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, in a statement. “Yet, these recent discoveries underscore that there is still untapped evidence of these creatures awaiting discovery.”

One section of the site even displays the tracks merging, leading scientists to ponder whether carnivores and herbivores might have interacted during their movements.

How have the dinosaur tracks endured for such an extended period?

Footprints are transient by nature, meaning the forces of the environment frequently erase their presence.

However, in this instance, fortunate circumstances preserved the dinosaur tracks for millions of years within the fossil record, as Richard Butler, a palaeobiologist at the University of Birmingham who played a pivotal role in the excavation, stated to USA TODAY.

“Something significant must have occurred to safeguard these tracks,” Butler noted. “It’s probable that shortly after the tracks were formed, a storm buried them with sediment before they could be worn away by tides.”

Geological digging took place in June

The newly discovered tracks were found in 2023 at the base of the active Dewars Farm Quarry in Oxfordshire, England, embedded within limestone.

A group consisting of over 100 scientists, volunteers, and students from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford University, and the University of Birmingham then undertook a week-long excavation in June 2024. Quarry operators offered support throughout the digging process, providing specialized tools including excavators and rock saws.

New discovery links to footprints unearthed in 1997

In 1997, earlier limestone quarrying uncovered over 40 sets of footprints, with some trackways stretching nearly 600 feet. This discovery was groundbreaking at the time, providing valuable insight into the types of dinosaurs that once inhabited the United Kingdom during the Jurassic period.

However, the original site is presently largely inaccessible due to much of it being buried through planned renovations. Additionally, given that the find occurred prior to the advent of digital cameras and drones, scant photographic evidence remains for paleontologists to investigate further.

3D model created of site, but what about plans for its preservation?

This time, researchers were able to amalgamate over 20,000 images captured using drones and traditional photography to produce 3D models of the area.

“These will offer a vast array of resources for

“Further examination and training could provide significant insights into the locomotion of these dinosaurs, encompassing their velocities, their size, and the nature of their interactions,” the scientists remarked in a declaration.

As Dewars Farm remains an active quarry, public access to the location is restricted, Butler explained. Nevertheless, he stated to USA TODAY that the researchers are collaborating with the quarry management to devise strategies for the conservation of the site.

“There is a wealth of knowledge that can be garnered from this site, which is a crucial component of our national geological heritage,” Butler noted in a statement. “Our three-dimensional models will enable scholars to persist in their research and make this captivating aspect of our history available for future generations.”

Viewing the BBC series on the expedition

The excavation was documented for a BBC documentary series, “Digging for Britain,” which debuted on Wednesday. The series can be streamed on iPlayer.

The discoveries from the excavation will also be featured in an exhibition, “Breaking Ground,” at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

This article was revised to correct a typographical error.

Contributions by: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY

Eric Lagatta reports breaking and current news for USA TODAY. You can reach him at elagatta@gannett.com