Arctodus simus (giant short-faced bear)
The giant short-faced bear was the largest bear as well as the largest carnivorous land mammal ever known. Its range stretched across western North America from Alaska down to central Mexico, although it has been found as far east as Virginia in the United States. It has a distinctly lower and wider forehead and a short, broad muzzle with eyes set far apart, giving it excellent vision. Fully grown adult individuals of this species could be up to 6 feet tall when crouching, up to 11-13 feet tall when fully upright on its hind legs, and run at an astonishing speed up to 30-40 miles per hour. Although this bear was physically able to hunt large prey such as bison, deer and elk, scientists believe it was more often a scavenger, stealing from other carnivores by driving them away from their killed prey. It is believed that the short-faced bear went extinct 12,000 years ago due to loss of food source from competition with humans. This is believed largely because this mammal went extinct around the same time of the human invention of the clovis point, which was used to hunt animals similar to the prey of Arctodus simus.
Bison antiquus (Bison)
Bison antiquus was the most common, large herbivore of North America that lived during the late Pleistocene epoch. They became increasingly abundant in parts of North America from 18,000 years ago to 10,000 years ago, after which they gave rise to the modern, living speices of bison. Bison antiquus is larger and taller than the modern bison, weighing about 5000 pounds. The horns measure about 3 feet tall. They were hunted by Native Americans for food, shelter, and clothing and faced extinction in the late 1800’s. At this time, they seemed to have evolved into the modern bison.
Camelops hesternus (Western Camel)
The Camelops hesternus once lived in western North America from the late Pliocene to the late Pleistocene time period. This extinct camel was approximately seven feet at the shoulder and looked a lot like today’s modern camel. It went extinct around 10,000 years ago at the end of the Pleistocene. This extinction was due to the hunting Clovis culture, which hunted big games such as this camel species with Clovis tools. This species was also an adaptable herbivore: it ate plants that were attainable.
Canis dirus (dire wolf)
This relative of the smaller, nimbler grey wolf lived in North American during the Pleistocene Epoch. At approximately 5 feet long and 110 pounds, the dire wolf was a larger, sturdier and more powerful version of the modern day grey wolf that survived through the years to the present, specifically that it had a larger and broader head, shorter and sturdier legs, larger teeth, and larger muscles. Because of its larger size than the grey wolf, its diet mainly consisted of bison, horse, and sloth, which were hunted in packs of four to seven individuals. It exhibited hyena-like characteristics such as hunting in packs and scavenging food from other hunters. The extinction of Canis dirus occurred around 10,000 years ago, when climatic factors combined with environmental hazards (such as tar pits) and competition for food (with humans that first arrived in North America through the Bering Straight). Thus, it was possibly “killed” (directly or indirectly) by Native Americans who may have outcompeted the dire wolf for food sources, forcing it to resort to smaller, faster prey that the modern day grey wolf was better suited to hunt.
Hemiauchenia macrocephala (large-headed llamas)
Hemiauchenia macrocephala are large-headed llamas that lived in California, Florida, Texas, Great Plains states, and South America. This species had an estimated body weight of 300kg, height at shoulder of 2 meters, and a very short tail. It looks somewhat like the modern llama, except for its larger head, longer neck, and thinner limbs. This species, much like the modern camels, was great with running with its long and slender limbs to aid it with long strides. It went extinct roughly 10,000 years ago, at the end of the Pleistocene. It went extinct around 10,000 years ago at the end of the Pleistocene. This extinction was likely due to the hunting Clovis culture, which hunted big games such as these llamas. It was adapted to both browse and graze, generally feeding on coarse grasses and drought tolerant plants.
Mammut Americanum (Mammoth)
The American mastodon roamed North America from at least 3.75 million to about 11,000 years ago. Adult specimens stood between 8 and 10 feet tall at the shoulder and weighed between 4 and 6 tons. Mastodons had blunt teeth and tusks that were used to eat various shrubs, herbs, and trees. They are known to have been hunted by people due to the spear points found amongst their bones. This overhunting may have been what drove the species to extinction.
Mammuthus columbi (Columbian mammoth)
The Columbian mammoth is one of the largest elephants to ever live, growing to sizes up to 13 feet tall and weighing up to 10 tons. The mammoth’s primary diet consisted of various grasses and conifers. They ranged across all of North America and as far south as Nicaragua. The date of their extinction is generally set at about 12,500 years ago but newer fossils have been found outside of California. Their extinction is generally attributed to either dramatic climate change or overhunting by the indigenous populations.
Panthera atrox (American Lion)
Panthera atrox, the American lion, was one of the largest felines in the world. It was approximately 25% larger than the modern African lion. It originated in North America and eventually colonized parts of South America. The American lion often lived in cold areas, using caves for shelter. They are thought to have preyed on deer, North American horses, bison, mammoths, and other large animals. The American lion went extinct around the same time as the other megafaunal extinctions during the Quaternary, which is when most species that it preyed on went extinct. Humans may have contributed to its extinction as well, as lion bones have been found in trash heaps of Paleolithic Indians.
Scapanus Townsendii (Townsend's Mole)
They are the largest and heaviest North American Talpids. The Townsend’s Mole has a body in the shape of a cylinder. Their bodies are covered in dark grey or black, short, soft fur. Adult moles grow between 179 mm (7.04 inches) and 237 mm (9.33 inches) in length. Male moles grow to an average weight of 142 grams (5.68 ounces) and female moles grow to an average weight of 119 grams (4.76 ounces).
These moles have broad, flat front feet with five straight claws that are used for burrowing tunnels. The palms of their front feet face outward. This enables them to push the soil aside while moving forward. They have a hairless pink snout and tail.
Townsend’s Mole does not have external ears, but they do have acute hearing, and an excellent sense of touch.
The Townsend’s Mole ranges from northwest California along the west coast to southwestern British Columbia. They are well suited for the mild climate found in our Central Fraser Valley. This mole population is small consisting of less than 1000 individuals.
These moles prefer manured pastures, hayfields, moist meadows, fir forests, prairie and shrub habitats where they can feed on earthworms, which make up most of their diet.
Increased urbanization and intensive agriculture practice fragments the area of suitable land used by Townsend’s Moles, thus threatening their survival.
These moles have broad, flat front feet with five straight claws that are used for burrowing tunnels. The palms of their front feet face outward. This enables them to push the soil aside while moving forward. They have a hairless pink snout and tail.
Townsend’s Mole does not have external ears, but they do have acute hearing, and an excellent sense of touch.
The Townsend’s Mole ranges from northwest California along the west coast to southwestern British Columbia. They are well suited for the mild climate found in our Central Fraser Valley. This mole population is small consisting of less than 1000 individuals.
These moles prefer manured pastures, hayfields, moist meadows, fir forests, prairie and shrub habitats where they can feed on earthworms, which make up most of their diet.
Increased urbanization and intensive agriculture practice fragments the area of suitable land used by Townsend’s Moles, thus threatening their survival.