Chalicotherium

This bizzare looking mammal lived during the Oligocene period in Asia. It looked like a 10 foot tall cross between a horse, a rhino and a gorilla! Chalicotherium belongs to a group of mammals called Perrisodactyles, or odd-toed ungulates like rhinos, tapirs and horses. Chalicotheres were a successful group of animals that started out 54 million years ago and dissapeared 2 million years ago. Remains of chalicotheres have been found in Africa, Europe, North America, India and China. Cryptozoologists often consider this animal a contender for the Nandi Bear that native Africans often spot wandering around the bush. The species dipicted here is one of the rare knuckle walking chalicotheres. Chalicotherium's giant claws were slightly split down the middle, and may have used them to dig for roots, or to pull down branches. They had no front teeth in thier upper jaws, so they could not 'crop' food like many animals do. Some skeletons also show bony knobs on the ischium, indicating that this animal may have sat down to eat, not unlike a giant panda.