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Giant Terror Bird Fossil Unearthed in Colombia
Discovery of a giant terror bird fossil in Colombia sheds light on these ancient predators' size, habitat, and extinction.
English
United States
Latin AmericaPaleontologyEvolutionExtinctionFossilPredator
National University Of CórdobaMuseo La TormentaNational Monuments CouncilAustral University Of Chile’s Institute Of Earth SciencesCnn
Federico Javier DegrangeKaren MorenoMindy Weisberger
- What is the geographic importance of this discovery?
- The La Venta terror bird fossil, found in Colombia's Tatacoa Desert, represents the northernmost record of terror birds in South America. This discovery helps bridge the geographic gap between known terror bird fossil sites in Argentina and Brazil and those in North America.
- What was the environment like where the fossil was discovered?
- Terror birds thrived in diverse habitats, including the lush tropical environment of the La Venta ecosystem during the Miocene epoch. Their diet likely consisted of hoofed mammals common in this area.
- What questions remain unanswered about terror birds and their extinction?
- While the discovery provides insights into terror bird distribution and ecology, the exact causes of their extinction remain unclear. Researchers hope to find more fossils to understand their evolution and the factors leading to their demise.
- What is significant about the recently discovered terror bird fossil from Colombia?
- A newly discovered terror bird fossil in Colombia, dating back 12 million years, is one of the largest ever found. It stood over 8 feet tall and weighed around 344 pounds, significantly larger than most other known terror bird species.
- What evidence of interaction between the terror bird and other animals has been found?
- The terror bird fossil displays tooth marks from a giant caiman, Purussaurus, suggesting interactions between these apex predators. Whether the caiman scavenged the bird after death or attacked it while alive remains uncertain.