It isn't unusual to hear stories about odd things being found at the beach. From strange sea creatures to even unfamiliar fossils, tales of such discoveries often captivate netizens. If you're someone who is particularly fascinated by similar stories, then you must learn about this discovery made by a four-year-old named Lily Wilder. Wilder made a monumental discovery while walking with her father on a beach near Barry in south Wales. She found a well-preserved dinosaur footprint dating back 220 million years. Not only is this spotting super cool, but it is also very significant in the study of palaeontology. Keep reading to find out why.
National Museum Wales shared this picture of the footprint on their Instagram account on January 30. A bit of the caption shared alongside the post reads, "A well-preserved dinosaur footprint has been discovered on a beach near Barry in south Wales and could help scientists establish more about how dinosaurs walked".
Check out the image here:
If looking at that photo made your jaw drop, then know that you're not alone. Here are some comments that Instagram users left under the share.
{{/usCountry}}If looking at that photo made your jaw drop, then know that you're not alone. Here are some comments that Instagram users left under the share.
{{/usCountry}}One person said, "Wow! Amazing". Another individual wrote, "How cool".
Cindy Howells, the palaeontology curator at the National Museum Wales, said, "This fossilised dinosaur footprint from 220 million years ago is one of the best-preserved examples from anywhere in the UK and will really aid palaeontologists to get a better idea about how these early dinosaurs walked".
Though it is unknown which dinosaur made the 10 centimetres long print, it is estimated that the animal stood about 75 centimetres tall and 2.5 meters long. The slender animal would likely have walked on two hind feet and actively hunted other small animals as well as insects.
You can learn more about the fossil which has since been taken from the beach to the National Museum Cardiff here.
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