Huge unknown mammal tracks found in African diamond mine

Huge unknown mammal tracks found in African diamond mine

Photo by Marco Marzola, one of the researchers.

The tracks of a huge mysterious mammal dating to the Early Cretaceous period have been discovered in Angola’s Catoca diamond mine, the world’s fourth-largest.

Researchers from the PaleoAngola Project, a programme that examines vertebrate palaeontology in Angola, uncovered over 70 tracks, dating to 118 million years ago.

Huge unknown mammal tracks found in African diamond mine

Mammal track. (Photo by Marco Marzola)

Besides the large unknown mammal footprints, they also found evidence of dinosaurs and large crocodiles, the experts said in a statement.

Huge unknown mammal tracks found in African diamond mine

Dinosaur track.(Photo by Marco Marzola)

The dinosaur tracks – the first to be found in the African nation – were from a sauropod and were discovered with a preserved skin impression. The crocodile, a crocodilomorph trackmaker, was from a group that includes all modern species.

Huge unknown mammal tracks found in African diamond mine

Mammal tracks. (Photo by Marco Marzola)

Images courtesy of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.

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