Researchers have discovered numerous dinosaur tracks dating back 132 million years along the coast of South Africa, significantly altering the fossil timeline of the area.
This finding indicates that dinosaurs continued to inhabit the region long after a major volcanic event that was previously believed to have destroyed their evidence.
The scientists now estimate that these tracks are nearly 132 million years old, making them the most recent known dinosaur footprints in southern Africa, which are 50 million years younger than the youngest tracks documented from the Karoo Basin.
Furthermore, they are believed to be the only second known set of Cretaceous dinosaur tracks in South Africa and the second from the Western Cape. Some of these tracks are found on flat rock surfaces, while others are visible in cross-section within the cliffs.
In 2025, researchers reported finding dinosaur tracks that are around 140 million years old on a secluded stretch of coastline in South Africa’s Western Cape.
These tracks were the first from that era in the region, which corresponds to the Cretaceous period, spanning from 145 million to 66 million years ago. Currently, scientists have uncovered even more substantial evidence.
Dinosaur tracks found all over South Africa coast
As ichnologists, who specialise in the study of fossil tracks and traces, the team frequently conducts research along the Western Cape coast near Knysna.
Their main focus is on tracks preserved in coastal aeolianites, which are cemented sand dunes that date between 50,000 and 400,000 years old.
During a visit in early 2025, they examined a small outcrop of rock that formed during the early Cretaceous Period.
This outcrop is the only nearby exposure of rock from that era, with much of it submerged during high tide. The team was hopeful of discovering a theropod dinosaur tooth, similar to one found by a 13-year-old boy in 2017.
Instead, they stumbled upon something even more thrilling. Linda Helm, a member of the team, noticed dinosaur tracks. A closer inspection revealed more than two dozen potential footprints.
Read more: 72 million year old dinosaur eggs discovered
