12 Craziest Prehistoric Creatures That Were Real
The prehistoric world was a strange and hostile place, especially for the earliest humans who ventured across the Bering land bridge and first explored what’s now North America. Fourteen thousand years ago, our ancestors met creatures that were straight out of their nightmares.
1. Cave Hyena
Cave Hyenas are one of the most popular animals found in early cave drawings, overshadowed only by Woolly Mammoths, which makes it clear that early humans had a lot of contact with the earliest representatives of the Hyaenidae family.
2. Woolly Mammoths
Often confused with aggressive Mastodons, Woolly Mammoths were a gentler type of creature co-existed with early people forty thousand years ago. We know Woolly Mammoths from their giant, curved tusks, and formidable size.
3. American Cheetah
Like other big cats that made up North American megafauna, the American Cheetah of old resembles the modern-day African Cheetah. Its official name was Miracinonyx, and it had the strength and intelligence of the Puma combined with the Cheetah’s renowned speed.
4. Woolly Rhinoceros
Woolly Rhinoceros. Picture the rhinos of today, but with fur, and you have a good idea of what the Woolly Rhinoceros looked like. A card-carrying member of the Pleistocene megafauna, this animal populated Europe and parts of Asia during the Epoch, co-existing with other creatures of the day, including humans.
5. Glyptotherium
Think of a huge armadillo, and you have a pretty good idea of what the mighty Glyptotherium looked like. This shelled behemoth lived in the late Pleistocene, meaning that it more than likely would have crossed paths with the earliest humans.
6. American Cave Lion
Although lions are mostly relegated to savannahs and zoos today, there was a time when these enormous cats dominated the planet. Twenty thousand years ago, lions were everywhere, including North America, and they certainly gave early humans a serious run for their money.
7. Giant Sloth
We tend to think of sloths as docile, super-chill creatures who love nothing more than peace, love, and a good nap– but the Giant Sloth or Megalonyx Jeffersonii was anything but relaxed.
8. Mastodon
Don’t let the cutesy pop-culture depictions of Mastodons fool you- these prehistoric animals were among the most aggressive ancient creatures that ever existed. Early humans would have certainly crossed paths with Mastodons at the end of the Pleistocene Epoch when Mastodons roamed the planet, and humans were first coming onto the scene.
9. Dire Wolf
You know Dire Wolves from Game of Thrones fame, but these colossal canines didn’t just roam northern Westeros. They existed in real life, and they were bone-chillingly frightening. Real-life Dire Wolves were not loyal pet dogs;
10. Smilodon
You might not know the name “Smilodon,” but you’ve certainly heard of its nickname, Sabre-Toothed Cat. These horrifying predators were enthusiastic carnivores who even may have hunted people.
11. Short-Faced Bear
Also known as Arctodus Simus, this prehistoric predator clocked in at nearly two thousand pounds of sheer muscle, and looked a lot like an enormous grizzly bear, towering twelve feet above the earth.
12. Terror Bird
The Terror Bird was pure nightmare fuel, and there’s an excellent chance that it might have existed in conjunction with some very early, very unlucky humans.
