Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How long was the Australopithecus afarensis footprint trail at Laetoli?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Australopithecus
Artist's rendering of Australopithecus afarensis, which lived from 3.8 to 2.9 million years ago.
The footprint trail at Laetoli is 27.5 meters (90 feet) long.1
These tracks were produced by three individuals who walked at a leisurely pace across moist volcanic ash approximately 3.5 million years ago. The footprints are attributed to Australopithecus afarensis and are considered of monumental importance to the study of human evolution, as they demonstrate that these hominins were already adept, habitual bipeds with a walking pattern remarkably similar to that of modern humans.12