After the dinosaurs went extinct, new species emerged and thrived for millions of years! Scientists aren’t sure why these creatures eventually went extinct, but some of them may have met their demise due to over-hunting. Some of these ancient creatures lived alongside humans! Let’s explore the final chapter of prehistory.

#8: Metalarus (met-uh-lahw-russ)

Metalurus was twice the size of modern cheetahs! It was 11 feet long and weighed up to 250 pounds. Metalurus was built for speed and it may have been even faster than modern cheetahs. With its large lungs and long legs, it was definitely the fastest predator of its time!

#7: Coelondonta (see-low-don-tah)

If you crossed a rhinoceros with a brown sheep, you’d get a Coelondonta! This prehistoric wholly rhinoceros was 14 feet long and weighed up to 4 tons. Very few predators would dare to take one down! It survived the frigid Ice Age conditions thanks its warm coat and stocky limbs.

#6: Agriotherium (ag-ree-oh-thee-ree-uhm)

This bear-dog was one scary omnivore! Its long legs gave it a dog-like appearance, but it definitely wasn’t man’s best friend. Its blunt snout hid massive, bone-crushing teeth! If it couldn’t catch a meaty meal, Agriotherium supplemented its diet with fruits and veggies.

#5: Thylacosmilus (thi-la-coh-smi-luhs)

Thylacosmilus looked like a sabertooth cat, but it wasn’t a cat at all! This predator was a marsupial, like today’s kangaroos, koalas, and possums. Its long, fang-like teeth grew throughout its entire life! Thylacosmilus had an unusual a pouch on its lower jaw. When it closed its mouth, its teeth slipped into the protective pouch!

#4: Elephas Falconeri (ehl-ee-fas fal-con-ee-ree)

These adorable mammoths lived on islands like Sicily and Malta. These islands had a smaller food supply than the mainland, but Pygmy Mammoths didn’t mind. They were only 3 feet tall and weighed less than 40 pounds! Other their size, Pygmy Mammoths were exactly like their larger cousins.

#3: Glossotherium (gloss-oh-thee-ree-uhm)

Modern-day sloths might be small and unassuming, but their ancient ancestor was 13 feet long and weighed 2,200 pounds! Since Glossotherium was an herbivore, it may have stood up on two legs to pull leaves off of trees. It probably moved slowly, but it had few predators due to its enormous size. Only large sabertooth cats and short-faced bears were willing to take on a Glossotherium!

#2: Dromornis (drow-mor-niss)

This 10-foot tall, 1,000 pound bird may be the largest flightless bird in history! Dromornis was an omnivore, so it hunted other animals in addition to enjoying fruits and veggies. It used its hooked beak to apply thousands of pounds of pressure to its prey. This would’ve broken every bone in the prey animal’s body!

#1: Pelagornis (pell-ih-gore-nuss)

With a 24-foot wingspan and an impressive 65 pound weight, Pelagornis is the largest flying bird in history! This ancient bird is related to pelicans and storks. But unlike its modern descendants, it seemed to have teeth! These meat-piercing devices were actually sharp pieces of bone. They made Pelagornis a terrifying predator!

Thanks to Dinosaur George, we’ve seen a whole world of ancient mammals and birds! If you’re ready for more Dinosaur George fun, you can find other articles inspired by his exhibit on my articles page. 👓