Kenya: Return Of The King

Return of the King Archaeologists recently rediscovered the skeletal remains of a giant carnivore that had lain inside a drawer at the National Museums of Kenya for decades. After a thorough study, they reported that the fossils belonged to a new species that was larger than modern-day lions and polar bears, making it one of the largest carnivorous mammals ever to live on land, according to CNN. Dubbed Simbakubwa kutokaafrika, which stands for “big lion coming from Africa” in Swahili, the large mammal was at the top of the food chain about 23 million years ago. Researchers estimate that it had teeth that could rip flesh and crack bones, weighed about 1.6 tons and hunted large herbivores similar to today’s elephants and hippopotamuses. Although referred to as an “ancient lion,” the new species is not closely related to today’s lions and other big cats. It belongs to an extinct group of mammals known as hyaenodonts that ruled sub-Saharan Africa for 45 million years. Scientists speculate that climate change led to their demise, leaving the throne open for a new regent. Today, the lion may be the king of the wild but millions of years ago, it wouldn’t stand a chance against this larger and more ferocious predator.