Huge unknown mammal tracks found in African diamond mine
Unknown mammal tracks. (Photos by Marco Marzola)

Images courtesy of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.
Footprint of a raccoon-sized animal from the Early Cretaceous.
Footprint of a raccoon-sized animal from the Early Cretaceous.

A yet unidentified large mammal made its way through what would one day become the world’s fourth largest diamond mine, a staggering 118 million years later. The 70 tracks dating to the Early Cretaceous period were discovered in the Catoca diamond mine, located in the country of Angola in the southern portion of Africa.

Huge unknown mammal tracks found in African diamond mine
Raccoon sized track from another angle.

Besides the large unknown mammal footprints, evidence of dinosaurs and large crocodiles were also discovered. 

Huge unknown mammal tracks found in African diamond mine
Dinosaur track.

The dinosaur tracks, which are the very first to be discovered in Angola, have  been identified as left by a sauropod and were discovered with a preserved skin impression. The crocodile, a crocodilomorph trackmaker, belongs to a group of crocs that still survive today, 118 million years later. Quite an impressive display of nature’s incredible balancing act.
 Greg Giles