Researchers discover ancient giant 'lion' in Kenya
Researchers discover ancient giant 'lion' in Kenya
18APR2019
Ohio University/AFP / Mauricio ANTON, Mauricio ANTON
A Simbakubwa kutokaafrika, a gigantic mammalian carnivore that lived 22 million years ago in Africa and was larger than a polar bear
A giant lion with enormous fangs that roamed the Kenyan savannah more than 20 million years ago was one of the largest ever meat-eating mammals, researchers said Thursday.
A team unearthed the lower jaw, teeth and other bones of a new species, Simbakubwa kutokaafrika -- Swahili for "big African lion".
They calculated it would have weighed up to 1,500 kilogrammes and could have preyed upon the elephant-like creatures that lived there at the time.
"Based on its massive teeth, Simbakubwa was a specialised hyper-carnivore that was significantly larger than the modern lion and possibly larger than a polar bear," said Matthew Borths, from Duke University, who co-led the research with Ohio University.
More:
https://www.afp.com/en/news/3954/researchers-discover-ancient-giant-lion-kenya-doc-1fq8hg1
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