Giant Short Faced Bear (Arctodus simus)

[epaiva]

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

The Giant Short Faced Bear was 1,5 to 1,80 m (5 to 6 feet)  tall at the shoulder and rose to an impresive 3 m (10 feet) when standing on its hind legs, it weighted 600 to 800 kgs (1320 -  1760 pounds)  the giant was taller than a Polar Bear . The short muzzle gave it a more lion-like face than other bears, it has a relatively wide skull and very powerful jaws. Its closest living relative is the South American Spectacled Bears. What did they eat? Analysis of the bones of Short Faced Bears shows that they were exclusive meat eaters and they were well adapted to this task, their shortened jaws would have brought their crushing teeth closer to the back of the skulland so have increased their power. This Bear seen to be adapted for cracking large bones to extract the nutritious marrow.
Book Prehistoric America - Miles Barton, Nigel Bean, Stephen Dunleavy, Ian Gray, Adam White Reply