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.
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