This Is The Age Of Dinosaur Footprints Scientists Have Found In The UK

A group of long-necked dinosaurs that left their footprints on the ground. (Photo: Wales News)

JAKARTA - Some time ago scientists excavated dinosaur footprints in Penarth, Wales, England, and has been examined which reveals that the footprints of the beast are more than 200 million years old.

Not only that, they also studied a series of marks left by a group of long-necked dinosaurs that left their footprints on the ground. The scientists used 3D models of the combined photos taken of the footprints to examine them in greater detail.

The markings are believed to belong to a sauropodomorph dinosaur. These species include the famous Diplodocus which moved through the area during the Triassic period.

Professor Paul Barrett, of the Natural History Museum, said the number of footprints allowed the site to be a gathering place for sauropods.

"There are hints of the track that each animal makes, but because there are so many prints of slightly different sizes, we believe there was more than one tracker involved. This type of track is not very common worldwide, so we believe this is an interesting addition to our knowledge of Triassic life in England," said Barrett.

"Our Triassic dinosaur record in this country is quite small, so anything we can find from that period adds to our picture of what was going on at that time."

Citing the Mirror, Friday, December 31, these findings have been published in the journal Geological Magazine. Scientists say the trail occurred when the dinosaur pushed its feet into the mud. Then it is roasted to dry by the Sun and turned into trace fossils.

Barrett added that trace fossils are those that capture aspects of an animal's behavior or anatomy that its skeleton does not capture. Because the trail is near the position of the rock, it suggests it was formed in the Late Triassic between 237 and 201 million years ago.