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This cat actually hunted rhinos millions of years ago

WION Web Team
New DelhiUpdated: May 09, 2021, 08:20 PM IST
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The representative image above shows a skeleton of Saber-toothed tiger, a relative of the ancient cat that took down rhinos Photograph:(Reuters)

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Do you still think cat videos on social media are just cute?

We all know about the saber-toothed tiger. It's perhaps old news that the animal had the iconic big teeth which came out menacingly from his jaws even when its mouoth was shut. It's easy to imagine that this now-extinct tiger hunted down prey aggressively.

But a cat actually hunting a rhino? Well, that's an interesting deal.

But it appears that such a cat existed millions of years ago. And just like the saber-toothed tiger, it had fangs that protruded from its mouth.

Scientists have now able to identify this giant new cat species using detailed fossil comparison technique. This is one of the biggest cats discovered.

The scientific name of this cat is Machairodus lahayishupup. It had a body mass of 274 kilograms (604 pounds).

This cat was a pretty mean predator. In carnivorous land mammals, strength of upper arm often proves decisive as they use it not only for chasing prey, but also to hold it and finish the job

Scientists involved in the study found fossil of this cat. Bone of the upper arm of this animal was found to be 1.4 times the size of the modern day lion!

These cats may have prowled the lands of North America 5 to 9 million years ago. It's easy to imagine that with their strength, they hunted even rhinos which were abundant in North America around that time. This cat may have even been on top of her food chain, easily tearing off its prey and even other meat-eating animals that crossed its path

Still think cat videos on social media are JUST cute?