This Newly Discovered Ancient Carnivore Was Giant and Ferocious

You’d most certainly not want to be on the receiving end of this Simbakubwa kutokaafrika, an ancient giant carnivore that lived in Africa, 22 million years ago.

Larger than a polar bear, and with canine teeth the size of bananas, this enormous beast is finally getting its scientific due, many decades after its bones were first discovered in the 1980s. Originally thought to be remnant of giant apes, the bones have been studied enough that we now know this ancient species of Hyaenodonts lived in eastern Africa, and most likely hunted even bigger prey, like elephants, anthracotheres (tall and slender hippo-relatives), and giant hyraxes (huge marmot-like creatures).

It’s amazing to learn of such a giant creature, and imagine it roaming the forests and savannas, looking for it’s next (huge) meal. Via Gizmodo:

With canine teeth the size of bananas, this ancient beast could take down enormous prey.

Fossils that were misidentified for decades finally revealed their true origins.

Human-Simbakubwa comparison shows just how massive this creature was. Scientists believe it could have weighed upwards of 3,000 lbs.