Photos: 35 million-year-old feline footprint found in Telangana forest

Members of the Chenchu tribe in Telangana's Nallamala forest discovered a fossilised feline footprint on sandstone, believed to be about 35 million years old, near the Amrabad tiger reserve.

Archaeologists have noted that such prints have never been documented in this area before, highlighting the uniqueness of this discovery and its potential to shed light on the region's prehistoric fauna.

Experts are considering the possibility that the footprint belongs to an extinct species of the feline family, underlining the significance of the find in understanding prehistoric biodiversity.

MVS Kaushik, a businessman from Hyderabad, learned of the discovery through a tribal friend, emphasising the Chenchu tribe's keen observational skills in spotting the footprint. (Image is generated by AI)

Arun Vasireddy, an archaeologist, provided details on the footprint, explaining that it was likely made when the sandstone, identified as Cuddapah subgroup Quartzitic sandstone, was formed around 35 million years ago. (Image is generated by AI)

Vasireddy also mentioned that cats evolved approximately 12 million years ago, suggesting that the footprint could offer valuable insights into the timeline of mammalian evolution in the region. (Image is generated by AI)

While the discovery is promising, experts agree that more research is needed to accurately date the rocks and understand the full implications of the footprint, with Vasireddy noting that nothing can be said conclusively until further studies are conducted. (Image is generated by AI)