Funny Animals

Emory University palaeontologist Anthony Martin has found evidence of dinosaur burrows in Montana, and this time has found them again halfway around the world – in Victoria, Australia. This discovery suggests that dinosaurs of different species, different hemispheres even, shared this particular trait during the Cretaceous Period.

This find has help scientist comprehend how biological creatures may have adapted to Earth’s change in climate during periods of global warming and cooling. In 2006, Marin found a 95 million year old skeletal remains  of a small adult dinosaur, which they later named Oryctodromeus cubiculans, or “digging runner of the lair.”

The researches went on to hypothesize that besides caring for their young in dens, burrowing might have enabled some dinosaurs to survive extreme environments. Martin discovered the burrow at Knowledge Creek, west of Melbourne, and claimed to be lucky to find an almost identical burrow to the one he had previously found. The burrow was etched into the outcrop at about six feet long and one foot wide, spiralling down into an enlarged chamber.

The fossils found at the burrow site are believed to be around 110 million years old, the time when scientists claim Australia split from Antarctica, and dinosaurs roamed in prolonged polar darkness along forested river plains. It was one of the last global warming events recorded, about 10 degrees Fahrenheit higher than today.

During winter, the temperatures then could skydive to below freezing. Palaeontologists have previously thought that dinosaurs sheltered themselves against the harsh weather by hiding behind large tree roots or hollows. This find indicates that they may have dug burrows into the soft river banks instead.

Scientists believe that the burrows were made by small herbivores prevalent in the area. They claim that the find is fascinating as it provides evidence which connects dinosaurs that are probably completely unrelated, filling another gap in understanding the evolution of these giant beasts.

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