For the first time, researchers have confirmed the presence of dinosaur footprints in the Amazon rainforest, shedding new light on the prehistoric life that once roamed the region over 100 million years ago.
A team from the Federal University of Roraima (UFRR) documented more than ten fossilized tracks in the Tacutu Basin, near the city of Bonfim in northern Roraima.
The footprints, preserved in rock formations dating back to the Jurassic-Cretaceous period, provide rare evidence that dinosaurs inhabited this part of South America, a region where fossil preservation has long been considered unlikely due to weathering and erosion.
Although the exact species could not be identified, the tracks suggest that several groups of dinosaurs passed through the area, including raptors, bipedal plant-eating ornithopods, and armored dinosaurs known as xyreophores. According to researchers, these findings represent a significant expansion of the known range of these animals in Brazil.
Harsh environment made fossil preservation unlikely
Preservation of fossils in the Amazon region is rare. Rocks in the area are heavily weathered due to prolonged exposure, which typically leads to decomposition and erosion.
Lucas Barros, who led the study, explained that fossils usually survive only when buried and shielded from such conditions.
🦕 Groundbreaking discovery in Brazil: Scientists find dinosaur footprints in the Amazon rainforest for the first time, dating back over 100 million years. A major leap for paleontology in South America. 🌿🦖 #Fossils #Amazon #Dinosaurs #ScienceNews pic.twitter.com/DvPUg6fTEa
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) November 20, 2025
He described the Tacutu Basin during the dinosaur era as a valley filled with converging rivers, abundant vegetation, and enough moisture to preserve footprints after they were made in soft, wet ground. Over time, those tracks hardened, were buried, and eventually turned to stone.
The discovery dates back to 2014, when UFRR geology students, guided by Professor Vladimir Souza, uncovered the footprints during a field exercise. At the time, the university lacked paleoecology experts and the tools needed for proper analysis, which delayed the study.
Digital mapping revives the discovery of dinosaur footprints in Amazon rainforest
Barros revived the research in 2021 with guidance from Professor Felipe Pinheiro of the Federal University of Pampa (Unipampa).
Using photogrammetry, a technique that produces precise 3D models from photographs, they were able to digitally document and analyze the tracks. Souza noted that this method allowed the team to study the footprints in detail and identify new outcrops.
Barros estimates there may be hundreds of similar tracks across the Tacutu Basin. However, access remains a challenge, especially on private lands. Some property owners have declined to cooperate with researchers, concerned that investigations might trigger government action or land disputes.
Despite these limitations, the team has identified four areas of scientific interest within the Jabuti Indigenous Land.
The discovery of dinosaur footprints in the Amazon rainforest marks a milestone in South American paleontology and opens new possibilities for understanding the region’s ancient past.
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