Dinosaur footprints in South America and Africa belonging to the same Early Cretaceous species indicate that a natural bridge once connected the two continents, according to a study by scientists in the U.S. and Brazil.
The matching sets of dinosaur footprints were found more than 3,700 miles (5,954 kilometers) apart on the two continents, said the study published by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, which examined over 260 footprints from various dinosaurs, including theropods, sauropods and ornithischians.
The footprints were found in Brazil and Cameroon, showing similarities in age, shape, geological context and a remarkable connection between South America and Africa before the continents began drifting apart millions of years ago.
Paleontologists believe that these tracks were made approximately 120 million years ago on the supercontinent Gondwana, which had previously broken off from the giant landmass of Pangea.
The researchers also noted that Africa and South America began to split around 140 million years ago, eventually forming the South Atlantic Ocean.
The tracks, preserved in ancient river and lake sediments, indicate that dinosaurs could roam from Africa to South America when the continents were part of Gondwana.
The finding highlights the prehistoric connections between continents and provides insight into the Earth’s dynamic geological history.
