National Geographic - Prehistoric Predators of Ice Age North America New Documentary 2018

Описание: National Geographic - Prehistoric Predators of Ice Age North America New Documentary 2018

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National Geographic - Prehistoric Predators of Ice Age North America - New Documentary 2018 HD

Prehistoric times contained some of the largest and most terrifying predators to have ever roamed the earth. Some relied on raw strength and speed while others utilized the element of surprise to satisfy their hunger. Despite these two dissimilar styles of hunting, each of these predators shared a common characteristic: they reigned as one of the top hunters of their time. These amazing prehistoric predators had their own particular ways of hunting that kept them at the top of the food chain.

Prehistoric Pleistocene Predators

Prehistoric North America was rife with ferocious predators. It might surprise some people to know that many of the most incredible beasts lived not all that long ago. They were formidable hunters that thrived during the Pleistocene Epoch, the age of megafauna in North America. It was a time when mammoths, giant ground sloths, giant beavers and huge stag-moose roamed the land. To survive in this challenging landscape a hunter needed the size, power and ferocity to overcome such massive prey.

So how do we know about these creatures? One of the greatest resources is the La Brea Tar Pits, located in Los Angeles, California. While modern-day Los Angeles may seem like an unlikely place to collect information about prehistoric predators, the Tar Pits have provided a massive wealth of knowledge when it comes to ice-age animals.

A natural trap, many creatures have met their end by getting stuck in the asphalt of the Tar Pits. When a carnivore came to feed on the trapped animals, they become stuck as well. After tens of thousands of years the La Brea Tar Pits have accumulated thousands of specimens, many dating back to the Pleistocene Epoch.

Thanks to sites like La Brea we have a window to the past, and can learn a great deal about many of the animals that lived in prehistoric times. Unfortunately, the reason these animals are no longer around today is a little less clear. The Pleistocene ended about 11,000 year ago with the close of the most recent Ice Age. As the glaciers retreated the giant mammals began to die off.

While some of their relatives can still be found in North and South America, and in other locations around the globe, none of these amazing prehistoric predators survive to modern day.