06/08/2024
🏺Giant Short Faced Bear
Fyodor R.
The short-faced bear is an extinct bear genus that inhabited North America during the Pleistocene epoch from about 1.8 Mya until 11,000 years ago. It was the most common tremarctine bear in North America and many of its fossils have been found in the La Brea tar pits in southern California.
There are two recognized species: the lesser short-faced bear (Arctodus pristinus) and the giant short-faced bear (Arctodus simus), with the latter considered to be one of the largest known terrestrial mammalian carnivores that has ever existed. It has been hypothesized that their extinction coincides with the Younger Dryas period of global cooling commencing around 10,900 BC.
There is much variation in adult size among specimens, A. pristinus was much lighter, estimated at an average weight of 540 kg (1,190 lb).
Standing up on the hind legs, A. pristinus stood 2.5–3 m (8–10 ft) tall, and A. simus stood 3.4–3.7 m (11–12 ft) tall with a 4.3-meter (14 ft) vertical arm reach. When walking on all fours, A. simus stood 1.5–1.8 m (5–6 ft) high at the shoulder and would be tall enough to look an adult human in the eye. The largest individuals of A. simus are estimated to have weighed more than 1,200 kg (2,600 lb). At Riverbluff Cave, Missouri, a series of claw marks up to 4.6 m (15 ft) high have been found along the cave wall indicating short-faced bears up to 3.7 m (12 ft) tall.
🏺Life of Arcdotus
Arctodus simus first appeared during the middle Pleistocene in North America, about 800,000 years ago, ranging from Alaska to Mississippi,and it became extinct about 11,600 years ago. Its fossils were first found in the Potter Creek Cave, Shasta County, California.
Remains of the giant short-faced bear, along with Paleo-Indian artifacts and the remains of the flat-headed peccary, stag moose, and the giant beaver were found in the Sheriden Cave in Wyandot County, Ohio.