[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] the closest North American relative to
the closest North American relative to
the closest North American relative to the short-faced bear would be its cousin
the short-faced bear would be its cousin
the short-faced bear would be its cousin the grizzly and while this bear may be
the grizzly and while this bear may be
the grizzly and while this bear may be as fierce
as fierce
as fierce there are many characteristics that are
there are many characteristics that are
there are many characteristics that are very different 14,000 years ago the
very different 14,000 years ago the
very different 14,000 years ago the grizzly lived on the same landscape as
grizzly lived on the same landscape as
grizzly lived on the same landscape as the short-faced bear but they weren’t
the short-faced bear but they weren’t
the short-faced bear but they weren’t competitors one quite simply dwarfed the
competitors one quite simply dwarfed the
competitors one quite simply dwarfed the other dr. Matthews lays out three bear
other dr. Matthews lays out three bear
other dr. Matthews lays out three bear skulls that tell a striking story what
skulls that tell a striking story what
skulls that tell a striking story what what you looking at here is a skull of
what you looking at here is a skull of
what you looking at here is a skull of the giant short-faced bear it here’s a
the giant short-faced bear it here’s a
the giant short-faced bear it here’s a skull of a fairly good-sized grizzly
skull of a fairly good-sized grizzly
skull of a fairly good-sized grizzly bear and this is a black bear the
bear and this is a black bear the
bear and this is a black bear the short-faced bear would have been about
short-faced bear would have been about
short-faced bear would have been about 1,200 pounds this grizzly would have
1,200 pounds this grizzly would have
1,200 pounds this grizzly would have been about 500 600 pounds and this black
been about 500 600 pounds and this black
been about 500 600 pounds and this black bear 200 250 pounds walking on all fours
bear 200 250 pounds walking on all fours
bear 200 250 pounds walking on all fours a grizzly bear is about three and a half
a grizzly bear is about three and a half
a grizzly bear is about three and a half feet tall
feet tall
feet tall the short-faced bear was 6 feet tall
the short-faced bear was 6 feet tall
the short-faced bear was 6 feet tall and when it stood up this huge creature
and when it stood up this huge creature
and when it stood up this huge creature measured eleven feet even amongst other
measured eleven feet even amongst other
measured eleven feet even amongst other monsters it stood up
monsters it stood up
monsters it stood up short-faced bear is quite a bit larger
short-faced bear is quite a bit larger
short-faced bear is quite a bit larger two to three times the size of a grizzly
two to three times the size of a grizzly
two to three times the size of a grizzly bear we’d see today and the question
bear we’d see today and the question
bear we’d see today and the question always is why why such large size why
always is why why such large size why
always is why why such large size why did this bear evolve to be such a giant
did this bear evolve to be such a giant
did this bear evolve to be such a giant the scientists theorized that the size
the scientists theorized that the size
the scientists theorized that the size of this bear made it a fearless hunter
of this bear made it a fearless hunter
of this bear made it a fearless hunter able to kill very large prey unavailable
able to kill very large prey unavailable
able to kill very large prey unavailable to other predators
one such brand was the Jefferson ground
one such brand was the Jefferson ground sloth that weighed in at 2,000 pounds
sloth that weighed in at 2,000 pounds
sloth that weighed in at 2,000 pounds although slow moving its massive size
although slow moving its massive size
although slow moving its massive size was protection against smaller predators
was protection against smaller predators
was protection against smaller predators like the saber-tooth cat or dire wolf
like the saber-tooth cat or dire wolf
like the saber-tooth cat or dire wolf like today’s elephants on the African
like today’s elephants on the African
like today’s elephants on the African plains the sloths massive size made it
plains the sloths massive size made it
plains the sloths massive size made it difficult to kill if a sloth was
difficult to kill if a sloth was
difficult to kill if a sloth was attacked by a short face of their it
attacked by a short face of their it
attacked by a short face of their it would use its best defense sheer bulk
would use its best defense sheer bulk
would use its best defense sheer bulk you can visualize the sloth rising up on
you can visualize the sloth rising up on
you can visualize the sloth rising up on its hind legs to make itself appear
its hind legs to make itself appear
its hind legs to make itself appear bigger and more impressive to chase off
bigger and more impressive to chase off
bigger and more impressive to chase off a predator the sloth outweighed the lair
a predator the sloth outweighed the lair
a predator the sloth outweighed the lair by more than 800 pounds but once the
by more than 800 pounds but once the
by more than 800 pounds but once the bear stood up they were nearly the same
bear stood up they were nearly the same
bear stood up they were nearly the same height I can see these two animals
height I can see these two animals
height I can see these two animals rearing up and you would have like a
rearing up and you would have like a
rearing up and you would have like a boxing match where they’re both up there
boxing match where they’re both up there
boxing match where they’re both up there they’re swinging at each other in terms
they’re swinging at each other in terms
they’re swinging at each other in terms of weaponry this bear had a pretty
of weaponry this bear had a pretty
of weaponry this bear had a pretty amazing arsenal imagine the reach of
amazing arsenal imagine the reach of
amazing arsenal imagine the reach of these long legs and sharp claws it would
these long legs and sharp claws it would
these long legs and sharp claws it would be all like a boxer standing up with a
be all like a boxer standing up with a
be all like a boxer standing up with a super long reach according to Greg
super long reach according to Greg
super long reach according to Greg MacDonald the sloths best offense was to
MacDonald the sloths best offense was to
MacDonald the sloths best offense was to inflict damage with its long sharp claws
the bear might be able to immobilize its
the bear might be able to immobilize its prey by either slashing open their
prey by either slashing open their
prey by either slashing open their abdominal area or by crushing the sloths
abdominal area or by crushing the sloths
abdominal area or by crushing the sloths shoulder with his powerful bite when you
shoulder with his powerful bite when you
shoulder with his powerful bite when you think of how powerful its jaw was it
think of how powerful its jaw was it
think of how powerful its jaw was it would have created a lot of force that
would have created a lot of force that
would have created a lot of force that could certainly if it got ahold of an
could certainly if it got ahold of an
could certainly if it got ahold of an animal’s limb would break it very
animal’s limb would break it very
animal’s limb would break it very quickly with the with the jaw muscles
quickly with the with the jaw muscles
quickly with the with the jaw muscles with his shoulder broken the slaw would
with his shoulder broken the slaw would
with his shoulder broken the slaw would be defenseless
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