New Dinosaur Found in South Africa – Time for Dinosaur Safaris?

A new dinosaur species has been discovered in South Africa (well, new isn’t very accurate, it’s about 200 000 000 years old). I’m not a dinosaur person, and I won’t go in too much technical details about this discovery, but I will share my immediate thoughts.

They claim it is a missing link, though, by they I mean the media. Scientists don’t like to use that term, unless they’re looking for PR. But the scientists do say that it is an important discovery to further understand the transition from small-ish two-legged dinosaurs to massive four legged monsters like this guy:

In the past they have found at least seven other species of dinosaurs in South Africa, so maybe it is time for them to introduce a Dinosaur Safari. This would definitely add a new element to the itinerary for thousands of wildlife hungry tourists. Not even rhinos and lions can beat a dinosaur when it comes to strength and fear factor!

Now, I’m not suggesting a “Jurassic Park” like in the movies, but a good dinosaur park / museum with models, illustrations and information could probably be a big hit if it was located right at the gates of the Kruger Park. I would definitely like to take a look at that after a few days on a safari. But in the mean time, while we’re waiting for a proper Dinosaur Safari option, they offer a few interesting tourist attractions for those with an interest for our past:

Just outside of Johannesburg you can find a UNESCO World Heritage Site called the Cradle of Humankind. And if you’re in Pretoria, pay a visit to the Transvaal Museum of Natural History.