Researchers from the Universities of Oxford and Birmingham have uncovered a massive expanse of dinosaur footprints at Dewars Farm Quarry in Oxfordshire. These ancient tracks, dating back approximately 166 million years to the Middle Jurassic Period, are part of a much larger “dinosaur highway” believed to have once run through the area.
The new site boasts hundreds of footprints representing a range of species. Among the most striking are the tracks of the carnivorous Megalosaurus, a predator reaching nine meters in length. Its distinctive three-toed prints are interspersed with enormous impressions made by herbivorous sauropods like Cetiosaurus, which could grow up to 18 meters long.
These colossal creatures shared the tropical, muddy lagoon that once covered the area, leaving behind a record of their movements etched into the quarry floor. Five main trackways dominate this stretch of the dinosaur highway, one stretching over 150 meters.
These trackways, meticulously documented using aerial drone photography, provide a glimpse into the lives of the dinosaurs that once roamed this region. In some areas, tracks overlap, hinting at the possibility of interactions—perhaps a sauropod crossing paths with a prowling Megalosaurus.
This incredible find was sparked by the keen observations of quarry worker Gary Johnson, who noticed unusual bumps while clearing clay from the quarry. A research team spent a week in June 2024 uncovering and documenting around 200 footprints throughout this region of the dinosaur highway.
Modern technology, including 3D modeling, has helped scientists capture the site’s features and preserve them for future study, allowing scientists to delve deeper into dinosaur biology and behavior.
This discovery also connects to earlier findings in the same area. In 1997, over 40 sets of dinosaur footprints were identified, some spanning 180 meters. While those findings offered valuable insights, today’s advanced imaging techniques allow for unprecedented analysis, shedding new light on the types of dinosaurs that traversed this “highway” and how they lived.
