Giant dinosaur species discovered in Africa

A study has discovered a new giant species of dinosaur fossils in South Africa.  The new species lived about 200 million years ago and was twice the size of the modern-day African elephant.  According to the study this animal was the largest to live on the planet during the dinosaur age.  They were about 13 feet in height at the hips and weighed over 26,000 pounds and was known in the Scientific World as Ledumahadi Mafube.  Some of the fossilized bones were uncovered back in 1990 but they were not looking for mammals or dinosaurs at the time so they decided to study them at a later date.

A study showed that it was not the biggest dinosaur of its time, but it was the first true giant in a long line of dinosaurs called Sauropod dinosaurs.  The Sauropods – Brontosaurus included in this group – weighed up to 66 tons.  The origin of all the giant dinosaurs were noted to evolve in South Africa.

Argentina was home to some close relatives to the new dinosaur that lived about the same time.  It is suggested that Pangaea a supercontinent was still around at this time and that the dinosaurs could have walked from Johannesburg to Buenos Aires.

They have named this dinosaur Ledumahadi Mafube – ‘Giant Thunderclap At Dawn’ – from the language of Sesotho.  Sesotho is one of the 11 official languages of South Africa.  It walked around on all fours in a cat-like crouch which was very different than the dinosaurs of later.  It was probably about 14 years old when it died.

According to the Minister of Science and Technology the discovery of this dinosaur is very important to the paleontology world of South Africa.  The discovery of this dinosaur shows that South Africa can help humankind understand the rise of the giant dinosaur.