ON THE TRAIL OF SCOTLAND’S DINOSAURS

After the new discovery of ancient footprints on Skye, your guide to Jurassic larks across the country

ONCE upon a time, Scotland was teeming with dinosaurs. From the brontosaurus to the brachiosaurus, around 170 million years ago the country could happily have laid claim to the title Jurassic Park.

This week the scientific world erupted with excitement after a set of dinosaur footprints belonging to the largest animal to roam the planet was found on Skye.

The tracks, believed to be around 170 million years old and as big as a car tyre, were discovered in a muddy lagoon in the north of the island. They belong to early sauropods, long-necked dinosaurs which grew to at least 49ft long and weighed more than 10 tons. Remarkably, they were found alongside footprints belonging to theropods, older cousins of Tyrannosaurus Rex, which stood 6ft tall.

The finds suggest that not only was Skye an important centre for dinosaurs during the Jurassic period, but that long-necked dinosaurs were living happily alongside meat eaters at a pivotal time during their evolution.

Dr Steve Brusatte of Edinburgh University said: ‘It captures a moment in time 170 million years ago when they were just hanging out in a lagoon, living on the beach, back when Scotland was much warmer and dinosaurs were beginning their march to global dominance.’

It’s a tantalising image. Here, we examine some of the most extraordinary prehistoric discoveries the country has seen. Welcome to Jurassic Scotland.