Megalodon

Megalodon

      Megalodon is a prehistoric shark that lived 28 to 1.5 million years ago. In Greek it means big tooth. It is one of the most largest and powerful predators in vertebrate history. Fossils left behind show that they got up to 67 ft long. It looks like a much bigger version of a great white shark. 
      The most common fossils are its teeth. Like most sharks the Megalodon's skeleton was mainly made up of cartilage. teeth of this creature can be as big as 7''. Their fossils can be found in both Americas, Africa, Europe, and New Zealand. 
      Some scientist believe that its a relative of the great white. Its bite force shows that it probably hunted whales.
      The Megalodon's extinction remains a mystery and is still under investigation.Their theories are... Around that time the ocean was cooling and the sea level was dropping. The decline in food supply, and new competition. 
                                                                                 

Irish Elk

Irish Elk

human vs giant elk

     The Megaloceros family was a genus of deer that lived through out Europe. This family was important to their environment during the ice age. The largest of this species was the Irish Elk or Giant Elk. They first appeared about 400,000 years ago. They stood about 7 ft at their shoulders and their antlers were about 12 ft from point to point. They weighed about 1,200 to 1,300 pounds. Their are different theories on how they became extinct. First, male elk is said to have had a problem similar to osteoporosis. Second, soon after the ice age their habitat changed and so didn't the vegetation. Their land was decreasing little by little and humans hunted and interfeared in their life more. It is not certain but for what ever reason these giant deer became extinct about 7,700 years ago.

 

American Lion

     The American Lion  was one of the largest cats to ever exist. It is 25% bigger than a modern lion. It stood at 4 ft at the shoulders and weighed about 560 pounds. The bones that have been found closely resemble a modern lion just bigger.

     Most big predators of this time became extinct during the Pleistocene. So didn't the American Lion. Most animals of this time became extinct because of the La Brea tar pits. Fewer specimen have been found of the American lion then other species of that time like the saber tooth cat. This suggest that the American Lion were smarter to stay away from it. The American lion hunted deer, American horses, American camels, American tapirs, American bison, mammoth and other herbivores. The American Lion can live in cold conditions. They probably took shelter in caves and put grass and leaves on the bottom like the Siberian tiger. Their fossils can be found as far as Alaska.