Where to Find Dinosaur Fossils in South Africa
What is a fossil?
A fossil is physical proof of a 10,000-year-old prehistoric plant or animal.
What are the types of fossils?
1. Body Fossil
2. Molecular Fossil
3. Trace Fossil
4. Carbon Fossil
What is called dinosaur fossils?
A dinosaur fossil is the physical evidence or remnants of a dinosaur that has been preserved for thousands of years.
Where are dinosaur fossils mostly found?
According to Dr. David Button, a dinosaur researcher at the National History Museum, “most of the dinosaur fossils that were uncovered came from dinosaur that lived near a lake or river.”
Where to find dinosaur fossils in South Africa?
Early Jurassic traces are found in the Drakensberg and Maluti mountains in the Free State and Eastern Cape provinces. Dinosaur fossils can also be found at the following tourist sites:
1. West Coast Fossil Park
2. Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre
3. Fossil Trail (Karoo National Park)
How long does it take to develop a fossil?
A fossil takes at least 10,000 years to form.
What types of fossils are discovered in South Africa?
Hundreds of Australopithecus fossils have been discovered at the Sterkfontein Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site known as the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa.
Where in South Africa was the earliest human fossil discovered?
The earliest human fossil was discovered in 1936 at the Sterkfontein Caves in South Africa, which are part of the Cradle of Humankind site.
What hominids were discovered in South Africa?
Paranthropus robustus and Australopithecus africanus are the hominid ancestors discovered in South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind.
What is the age of the oldest human-like fossils discovered in South Africa?
Fossils of early human predecessors discovered in a South African cave date back 3.4 million to 3.6 million years.
