The Reasons Why Mammoths Went Extinct Are Happening All Over Again
As the most fascinating animals found at the La Brea Tar Pits prove, the prehistoric world was wild! Picture a world where a shark the size of a school bus cruised the oceans, where birds with wingspans wider than a small plane ruled the skies, and where wolves the size of small cars prowled the land.
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No, this isn't the plot of a new sci-fi movie - these creatures actually existed. Some of the most incredible ancient predators went extinct long before humans could snap a selfie with them (probably for the best), leaving behind only bones, teeth, and a whole lot of questions.
From climate change party-poopers to cosmic catastrophes, nature had quite a few tricks up her sleeve when it came to showing these terrifying predators that once roamed the planet the exit door.
Each of these ancient predators went extinct in their own dramatic fashion, taking with them some of the most remarkable hunting adaptations ever seen on Earth. Let's take a look at a few of these heart-stopping monstrosities.
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7 The Mighty Megalodon: When The Ocean's Greatest Party Crasher Got Crashed
Turns out having the biggest teeth at the seafood buffet isn't everything
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Move over, Jaws - there's a bigger fish to fry! The Megalodon makes modern great whites look like goldfish at a shark convention. This ancient predator went extinct, although some people think Megalodon may still be alive and roaming the deep.
But even being the ocean's supreme ruler couldn't save this supersized swimmer from the ultimate pool party shutdown. When global temperatures took a nosedive during the Pliocene epoch, this warm-water-loving giant found itself in hot - or rather, cold - water.
Add some pesky competition from the new kids on the block (looking at you, killer whales), and suddenly, being the biggest fish in the sea wasn't all it was cracked up to be.
Latin Name
Otodus megalodon
Period
Approximately 20 million years (23-3.6 million years ago)
Reasons for Extinction
Competition, cooler ocean temperatures, lack of easy prey.
6 Terror Birds: South America's Feathered Tyrants
These feathered bullies discovered the hard way that legs aren't everything
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Visiting museums with the remains of extinct creatures would scare anyone, especially when they see a bird this size! Standing as tall as a basketball hoop with a beak that could crack bones like peanut shells, these flightless feathered fiends dominated South America's dinner party scene for millions of years.
This ancient predator went extinct despite having a speed that would make an Olympic sprinter jealous and kicks that would impress a kangaroo. Unfortunately for these oversized angry birds, the formation of the Panama land bridge brought an unwelcome host of new predators to their exclusive neighborhood.
Latin Name
Phorusrhacidae
Period
62-2.5 million years ago
Reasons for Extinction
Mammalian competition, habitat changes, limited food sources
5 Saber-Toothed Cats: Nature's Failed Dental Experiment
Nature's experiment with extreme dental work had mixed results
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Do you think modern cats have an attitude? The Saber-toothed cat strutted around with teeth longer than a ruler, making it the undisputed champion of prehistoric power poses.
This ancient predator went extinct despite rocking the most impressive dental work in the animal kingdom. But as it turns out, having massive canines wasn't all it was cracked up to be - especially when the supermarket of giant prey animals started closing down shop during the last ice age.
The La Brea Tar Pits have a lot of unique fossils for visitors to see, including some fascinating saber-toothed tiger specimens.
Latin Name
Smilodon fatalis
Period
2.5 million - 10,000 years ago
Reasons for Extinction
Climate change, prey extinction, human competition
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4 Short-Faced Bears: The Bouncer Of The Ice Age
Sometimes being the scariest thing on four legs isn't a long-term career plan
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Imagine a bear the size of a family car with legs long enough to outrun a horse, and one might get close to picturing the Short-faced Bear. This prehistoric powerhouse made modern grizzlies look like teddy bears at a picnic.
This ancient predator went extinct despite being the ultimate combination of speed and strength, proving that sometimes being too specialized can be a real bear of a problem.
Latin Name
Arctodus simus
Period
800,000-11,000 years ago
Reasons for Extinction
Environmental changes, prey scarcity, human hunting
3 Quetzalcoatlus: The Prehistoric Sky Giant
The biggest flying predator ever discovered size does matter - until it doesn't
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With a wingspan longer than a small plane, the Quetzalcoatlus was basically a flying giraffe with an attitude problem. This jumbo-jet of the Cretaceous skies could snack on small dinosaurs like they were chicken nuggets.
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This ancient predator went extinct when the universe decided to hit the reset button with an asteroid, proving that even the most impressive aerial acrobatics couldn't dodge that cosmic curveball.
Latin Name
Quetzalcoatlus northropi
Period
70-66 million years ago
Reasons for Extinction
Asteroid impact, ecosystem collapse, atmospheric changes
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2 Dunkleosteus: The Armored Tank Of Ancient Seas
Meet the fish that made sharks look like swimming snacks
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Want to meet the ultimate underwater heavyweight champion? The Dunkleosteus was basically a swimming tank with attitude, complete with armor plating and a bite force that could crush anything unfortunate enough to swim by.
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This ancient predator went extinct despite having a built-in helmet that would make a medieval knight jealous and jaws that could snap through bone like butter. Talk about taking "bite-sized portions" to a whole new level!
Latin Name
Dunkleosteus terrelli
Period
382-358 million years ago
Reasons for Extinction
Ocean chemistry changes, a comet impact, reduced oxygen levels, habitat loss
1 Deinosuchus: The Crocodile That Ate Dinosaurs
When regular crocodiles just weren't scary enough
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Regular crocodiles? Please. The Deinosuchus was the super-sized upgrade nobody asked for, but evolution delivered anyway.
Picture a crocodile the length of a city bus with teeth the size of bananas, and one might begin to understand why even dinosaurs thought twice before getting a drink.
This ancient predator went extinct after ruling the coastal waters of North America, proving that sometimes even the scariest smile in the swamp can't last forever.
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Latin Name
Deinosuchus riograndensis
Period
82-73 million years ago
Reasons for Extinction
The reasons are uncertain, but extinction happened before the next significant extinction period.