A remarkable dinosaur footprint, estimated to be 127 million years old, was unearthed on a beach in the UK following a rainstorm.

Joe Thompson, a 23-year-old fossil guide, discovered the impressive three-toed print on the Isle of Wight.

According to Thompson, the one-meter long footprint became visible after recent storms cleared the beach of pebbles.

The recent graduate in paleontology from Bristol University was exploring Shepherd’s Chine beach in search of fossils and dinosaur remains.

“I had been walking for an hour or two without finding anything and was feeling a bit discouraged,” he said, reflecting on his discovery.

“Then, I noticed one of the toes peeking out from the clay. I suspected it might be a footprint, so I cleared away the debris and unveiled a significant Iguanodon print.”

“This footprint is situated higher in the geological layers, indicating it dates slightly later than others found on the island. It belonged to a truly massive creature.”

This discovery comes at a significant time, as it coincides with the 200th anniversary of the first scientific identification of the Iguanodon species in 1825. This historic moment was initiated when geologist Dr. Gideon Mantell and his wife Mary Ann uncovered a collection of the dinosaur’s teeth among large fossils in Sussex, England.

Iguanodons were substantial herbivorous dinosaurs, reaching lengths of up to ten meters and weighing more than four tons.

“Iguanodons are fascinating creatures and were quite prevalent, but finding such a well-preserved footprint in this area is exceptional,” Thompson remarked.

These dinosaurs typically roamed in groups of 20 to 30, walked on all fours, but were capable of running on two legs.

“They were known for consuming the smaller plants that existed in their ecosystems at that time,” Joe shared with news agency SWNS.com.

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Joe, who is a guide with Wight Coast Fossils, has recently launched South Coast Fossils. He offers fossil-watching tours in a nearby area at Highcliffe, close to Christchurch, and asserts:

“The Isle of Wight is one of Europe’s premier locations for discovering dinosaur remnants and footprints.”

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