In this article we are going to show you the largest terrestrial mammal that has inhabited the planet Earth, its name was Paraceratherium and they could measure more than seven meters in height and eight meters in length from head to tail . They appeared a whopping thirty million years ago and went extinct fifteen million years later.
His remains were discovered more than a century ago and five species of this fantastic extinct animal are known. To establish a comparison with an animal today, we could relate the Paraceratherium with the rhinos. If you want to know everything about these giant animals, this article is made for you. Uncover them!
Paraceratherium | 10 curiosities of the largest mammals that have existed
1. High legs and neck
They developed a lot of legs and their neck, because they need to have it high to reach the leaves of the trees to feed on them. In a way similar to how giraffes do today. Further, it was discovered that the sturdy legs was also a great defense against their predators .
2. Little hair
Because of its size, it is believed that these huge animals had practically no hair, as this way they avoided overheating . Its skin was clear, similar to that of the rhinoceros that inhabit our times .
3. Gross weight
A pup of Paraceratherium could weigh more than half a ton, while a specimen of this fully developed animal was around Fifteen tons of weight . Besides being the largest terrestrial mammal that has ever existed, it has been the heaviest of them all.
4. Lonely life
After studying the remains of his skull and comparing them with other animals that we can find today, it is thought that the Paraceratherium he did not live in herds and he moved in a solitary way since it did not have as much intelligence as other big animals like elephants can have. In addition, it is also known that the males had a skull more crushed than the females because they used it to confront other males in a similar way to the giraffe males of today.
5. Curious behavior with the young
The females were with their young during all the time they were small and needed breast milk, but at the time the mother was pregnant again and had another baby, the previous one was set aside by the mother and she was forced to live alone . This happened because the conditions were so adverse that a female of Paraceratherium, who could only take care of one baby at a time.
6. Habitat
All the experts agree that this extinct animal lived in the great plains of the Asian continent . The climate of the area was quite different from what can be seen today and, in addition, it is thought that there was a "bridge" between Asia and North America, so this species could also live in those areas.
7. Clive Forster Cooper
This is the name of the paleontologist who cataloged all the species of this gigantic extinct animal , at the beginning of the 20th century. Since then, up to six species and more genera have been cataloged, something that has provoked controversy and discussions among zoologists.
8. Star Wars
Surely you do not explain the relationship of these films of George Lucas with the Paraceratherium, it is very curious because they served as inspiration to create the AT-AT vehicles that are depicted in the icy regions in the film of Star Wars : The Empire Strikes Back.
9. Two pairs of incisors
Another of the most outstanding characteristics of this extinct animal is that he had two pairs of really large incisors that they were arranged in such a way that they served perfectly when it came to plucking leaves from the trees and their bark.
10. No one made him shade
Due to its large size, practically did not have any enemy since few animals could face it . Despite this, he traveled great distances due to his stride and had a nomadic life. He enjoyed under the shade of the trees or refreshing his body in lakes, to always have the temperature of his body well regulated.
As you may have noticed after reading this article about Paraceratherium, these extinct animals were really impressive. The largest terrestrial mammal in the world, had some very curious features that made it unique.
Now we would like to know your opinion on the subject. Have you been impressed by the size of this great animal? Had you ever linked the giant Star Wars vehicles with the Paraceratherium? For what reasons do you think it became extinct and stopped inhabiting the Earth? What do you think about the relationship that the mother had with her offspring? We are looking forward to reading all your comments and knowing the impressions that this article has given you, Do not hesitate to write us!