Hundreds of dinosaur footprints dated from the Jurassic era found in UK quarry

Excavations at Dewars Farm Quarry revealed five extensive trackways, including one over 150 meters long, according to researchers from Oxford and Birmingham universities.

Researchers discovered hundreds of dinosaur footprints dating back to the mid-Jurassic era in a quarry in Oxfordshire, southern England, showing reptiles called the Megalosaurus moved along enormous tracks.

The fifth trackway was made by the carnivorous theropod Megalosaurus, recognizable by its three-toed feet with claws. Researchers found that carnivore and herbivore tracks, dating back about 166 million years, intersect, prompting questions about their interactions.

Megalosaurus was the first dinosaur to be scientifically named and described in 1824, which sparked over 200 years of dinosaur research and interest. Professor Richard Butler noted, "This is the largest dinosaur track site in the UK and among the largest in the world."