Prehistoric Predators is a 2007 National Geographic Channel program based on different predators that lived in the Cenozoic era, including Smilodon and C. megalodon. The series investigated how such beasts hunted and fought other creatures, and what drove them to extinction.
Featured animals
- Pleistocene: 1.8 million-10,000 years ago
- North America:
- Smilodon fatalis, dire wolf, short-faced bear, American lion, Bison antiquus, Mexican horse, Columbian mammoth, Megalonyx, gray wolf (cameo), grizzly bear (cameo), early humans
- Miocene-Pliocene: 15-3 million years ago
- South America, North America:
- Kelenken, Parapropalaehoplophorus, Homalodotherium, Titanis, Canis edwardii, Smilodon gracilis, Neohipparion
- Miocene-Pleistocene: 20-2 million years ago
- The Atlantic:
- C. megalodon, Cetotherium, Squalodon, dugong, great white shark (cameo), green sea turtle (cameo)
- Oligocene-Miocene: 32-19 million years ago
- North America:
- Archaeotherium, Hyaenodon, Dinictis, Mesohippus, Poebrotherium, Subhyracodon, Moropus, Merycoidodon, Daeodon, Amphicyon
Episodes
| No. | Episode title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Sabertooth“ | 2007 | |
|
Smilodon fatalis is shown as an apex predator. It is depicted defeating dire wolves, living in prides and killing Bison antiquus, and baby mammoths. | |||
| 2 | “Dire Wolf“[1] | 2007 | |
|
The savage dire wolf was the largest dog on the planet at the time. It is shown chasing off lone Smilodons and faceing off with short-faced bears and hunting down Bison antiquus and Mexican horses in large packs. | |||
| 3 | “Giant Bear“[2] | 2007 | |
|
Arctodus simus, the giant short-faced bear, was one of the largest mammalian carnivore ever to walk the Earth. The bear is shown defeating Smilodon fatalis and Megalonyx, trying to take down Mexican horses, scaring off dire wolves, and even coming into contact with early humans | |||
| 4 | “Monster Shark“ | 2007 | |
|
The huge, powerful shark C. megalodon is shown subsisting on a diet of whales. | |||
| 5 | “Terror Raptor“[3] | 2007 | |
|
The huge terror birds of South and North America, Kelenken and Titanis, are both shown as apex predators. Kelenken is shown to eat Homalodotherium, glyptodonts, and rodents, and Titanis is shown coming into competition with additional predators Smilodon gracilis and Canis edwardii, and is also shown to eat horses. | |||
| 6 | “Killer Pig“[4][5] | 2007 | |
|
Archaeotherium was the largest and most powerful beast of the badlands until the bear dogs arrived, and is depicted evolving into the even larger Daeodon (or Dinohyus) in order to survive against the new threat. | |||
| 7 | “Razor Jaws“ | 2007 | |
|
The only animal who would attack an Archaeotherium was Hyaenodon, with its powerful razor jaws, until bear dogs arrived on the continent, driving both to extinction. | |||
Related series
References
- ^ “Dire Wolf A Prehistoric Predators”. Youtube. 13 April 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2016.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ “prehistoric predators giant bear”. Youtube. 9 December 2013. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ^ “Prehistoric Predators: Terror Bird”. Youtube. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ “National Geographic Documentary – Prehistoric Predators: Killer Pig”. Youtube. 10 January 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.[dead YouTube link]
- ^ “Prehistoric Fossil – Predators Big Pig (National Geographic)”. YouTube. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2016.[dead YouTube link]