Anni dopo un devastante incendio boschivo, la vita torna a nutrire il più grande mammifero terrestre conosciuto dalla scienza, il Paraceratherium (collta 2021).
8688 x 5792 px | 73,6 x 49 cm | 29 x 19,3 inches | 300dpi
Data acquisizione:
4 marzo 2024
Ubicazione:
Manitoulin Island, Unorganized, West Part, Ontario, Canada
Altre informazioni:
These giant hornless rhinos are the largest land mammals known to science, substantially larger than even the biggest species of elephant and approaching some sauropod dinosaurs in size. Paraceratherium’s robust legs were like pillars and its massive head, supported by a long giraffe-like neck, was over 4 feet long. It may have had thick, folded, hairless gray skin like that of an elephant or rhinoceros, but we can only guess by analogy. We do, however, have some evidence showing that the animal had a prehensile upper lip as in certain modern rhinos or even a short proboscis (trunk) as in tapirs. It likely enjoyed a browsing lifestyle like elephants and giraffes, munching on shrubs and large quantities of leaves from tall trees (but diet, of course, depended on habitats, which varied over such a large land mass as Eurasia). As well, like those other large mammals, Paraceratherium may have had to cool down during the day by resting in shade and wallowing in mud and water, foraging at night. Its habitats included arid deserts to subtropical forests and it possibly migrated over large home ranges due to the scarcity of resources. An animal as large as Paraceratherium had few if any enemies and most carnivores in its habitat were no larger than wolves. Bite marks on bones, however, suggest that 30-foot crocodiles may have attempted to take down an adult from time to time. Certainly the juveniles were more likely at risk from predators. As for extinction, we don’t know for sure what the causes were—competition from gomphotheres coming in from Africa, destroying the habitats to which Paraceratherium had adapted; the introduction of large predators also from Africa; climate change. . . .
Disponibile solo per utilizzo editoriale.
Uso relativo a notizie, recensioni e critiche e alla comunicazione di informazioni che riguardano persone, luoghi, cose, eventi o avvenimenti.
Per maggior chiarezza, l'uso editoriale non include alcun uso relativo a pubblicità, promozione (ad esempio siti web promozionali), marketing, packaging o merchandising.
