Recent discoveries are reshaping our understanding of dinosaur existence in southern Africa, revealing that these magnificent creatures thrived long after significant volcanic eruptions.
Remarkable Dinosaur Tracks Found on South Africa's Coast
In 2025, researchers announced the discovery of dinosaur tracks estimated to be around 140 million years old along a secluded stretch of South Africa's Western Cape coastline. These tracks represent the first evidence from this era in the region, which falls within the Cretaceous period, spanning from 145 to 66 million years ago.
New evidence has since emerged, as ichnologists studying fossilized footprints have been actively researching along the Western Cape coast near Knysna. Their investigations typically focus on tracks found in coastal aeolianites, which are cemented sand dunes dating back between 50,000 and 400,000 years.
During a visit in early 2025, the team examined a small rock outcrop from the early Cretaceous Period, the only nearby exposure of rock from that time, much of which is underwater during high tide. They were hopeful of discovering a theropod tooth, similar to one found by a young boy in 2017.
Instead, they stumbled upon something even more thrilling. Linda Helm, a member of the research team, identified dinosaur tracks, and further inspection revealed over two dozen potential footprints.
A Small Site with Significant Implications
The Brenton Formation site spans just 40 meters in length and five meters in width, with cliffs rising up to five meters above the shoreline. The discovery of numerous tracks in this compact area indicates that dinosaurs were relatively abundant in this region during the Cretaceous period.
Researchers estimate these tracks to be approximately 132 million years old, making them the youngest known dinosaur tracks in southern Africa--50 million years younger than those previously identified in the Karoo Basin. This find marks only the second known set of Cretaceous dinosaur tracks in South Africa and the second from the Western Cape, with some tracks visible on flat rock surfaces and others appearing in cross-section within the cliffs.
Insights into Southern Africa's Dinosaur Fossil Record
Southern Africa boasts a rich history of vertebrate tracks and traces from the Mesozoic Era, particularly in the Karoo Basin, known for its extensive sedimentary rock layers. While tracks from the Triassic and Jurassic periods are prevalent in regions like Lesotho and nearby areas of South Africa, volcanic activity later obscured many fossil-bearing layers with lava.
As the supercontinent Gondwana began to fragment towards the end of the Jurassic Period, new basins formed in what are now the Western and Eastern Cape, containing limited Cretaceous deposits.
Future Discoveries on the Horizon
The recent findings of early Cretaceous dinosaur tracks in both the Robberg and Brenton Formations hint at the possibility of further discoveries. Other non-marine Cretaceous rock formations exist in the Western and Eastern Cape, suggesting that systematic exploration could unveil additional dinosaur remains, more tracks, and possibly evidence of other ancient life forms.
This groundbreaking discovery not only enhances our understanding of dinosaur diversity in southern Africa but also opens the door for future explorations that could further illuminate the prehistoric past of this fascinating region.