The hyaenodon was one of the most ferocious predators that came after the dinosaurs. It was a predatory mammal, but it did not belong to the order of carnivores but to that of creodonts (an order of predators from prehistory that lived between the Paelocene and Miocene) and was part of the hyenodontidae family (predators with formidable teeth).
The main picture belongs to the documentary series "Walking with beasts" from BBC.
Where and when did the hyaenodon live?
The hyaenodon lived in the Cenozoic, more precisely in the Oligocene 41-25 million years ago in Asia, North America and Europe. It preferred open spaces with little vegetation and water holes.
How big was the hyaenodon?
The hyaenodon was almost 2 meters long, was 0.30-1.70 meters high and weighed 300 kg.
Picture link: http://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/h/hyaenodon.html
What made the hyaneodon unique?
Its name literally means "hyena teeth" because it possessed a formidable set of teeth that allowed it to grind any part of the carcass including the bones and teeth of other animals. Despite its name, it wasn't the ancestor of the modern hyena since it was a creodon.
Some paleontologists believed that this animal had a small brain, suggesting that it was not very intelligent. Yet, the hyenodon was one of the most ferocious predators of the Oligocene and was able to kill, both alone and in groups, even larger animals.
Was the hyaneodon a social or a solitary animal?
The hyaenodon lived both alone and in pairs or small groups.
Picture link: https://aminoapps.com/c/dinosaur-planet/page/item/the-devil-dogs/kEko_MbFQIY2k3V3N3PpVPJ7r5GlM4g711
What did the hyaenodon eat?
As one of the main predators of its time, the hyaenodon hunted almost all the animals of the oligocene:
- Chalicotherium (an ancestor of horses).
- Young indricotheri (giant relatives of rhinos).
- Mesohippus (small ancestors of horses).
- Young entelodons.
- Nimravidi.
Who were the hyaenodon's natural enemies?
The main enemies of the hyaenodon were the entelodons: ancestors of today's pigs who ate everything but killed other animals to feed on them. The latter contended with the hyenodon for both food and territory.
The hyaenodon also often clashed with the nimravidi (small prehistoric felines).
The most dangerous enemies were the amphycionids also known as bear dogs, which were more efficient and stronger than the hyenodon.
Why is the hyaenodon extinct today?
The hyenodon became extinct due to climate change and the presence of bear dogs that invaded the territory and stole its prey. In doing so, the bear dogs have supplanted the other predators of the time such as the hyenondon, leading them to extinction.
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