- The marks were made between the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
- Experts think that one of the fossils might be from a species that hasn’t been named yet.
- Scientists think that the area may have attracted dinosaurs because there was water and trees there.
Chinese researchers have found over 4,300 dinosaur footprints in Zhangjiakou, which is in the province of Hebei in northern China (SCMP). The 9,000-square-meter marks were made between the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, about 150 million years ago, according to a scientific report published in the first week of July. The report cited academics who said that the marks were made between the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
The dinosaur footprints, which also show claw marks, were found for the first time in April 2020. After that, they were put close to each other. China Daily says that scientists can figure out how long, heavy, and big dinosaurs were by looking at their footprints and extrapolating how fast they walked. The footprints of these extinct species can also tell us interesting things about them.
Dinosaur expert Xing Lida of the China University of Geosciences told China Daily “The footprints not only reflect dinosaurs’ living habits and behaviour but also explain the relationship between dinosaurs and their living environment at the time,”
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China discovers largest number of dinosaur footprint fossils in Hebei https://t.co/nSDk0XhnuY #China pic.twitter.com/ii4xb8W8x0
— HBS News Center (@Mangohntv) July 9, 2022
The prints show four different kinds of dinosaurs, but none of them has been given names. Experts think that one of the fossils might be from a species that hasn’t been named yet. There are footprints of both plants-eaters and meat-eaters in this group. SCMP says that the carnivores were only four to five metres long, while the herbivores could grow to be more than 15 metres long.
Scientists think that the area may have attracted dinosaurs because there was water and trees there when the dinosaurs lived. At the moment, the area is a high, stony grassland with some plants.
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