| Toxodon | |
|---|---|
| |
| Biological information | |
| Time period : | Late Pliocene epoch |
| Lifestyle : | Herbivore |
| In the series | |
| Appearances : | Saving the Sabretooth |
During Episode 4, Nigel encountered a giant herd of Toxodon. He later observed them swimming in a lake and again when a Smilodon preyed on one. Toxodon became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene when North America and South America met and a migration of more competitive herbivores came about, as well as predators. They were not completely helpless, but they were very mean, equipped with strong hides and tusks: this initially protected them from the native predators, such as Terror Bird, except for Smilodon that had specialized saber teeth to pierce through the thick hide of Toxodon, as well as powerful body build to wrestle these herbivores into submission. In addition, many Toxodon fossils have been found accompanied by fossilized arrow heads. This shows that prehistoric humans hunted them, which could have been a leading cause of their demise as well as climate change. In the second half of the episode, Nigel and Saba Douglas-Hamilton return to South America only to discover that the Toxodon are all gone, driven to extinction by a combination of the kill and chill theory. Unfortunately they have no modern descendants since their demise.
Errors
- Toxodon is no longer thought to be semi-aquatic.