Ice Age Animals in Australia

Australia was home to some bizarre creatures during the last Ice Age, including wombats the size of Volkswagens, koala cousins that looked similar to mythological Drop Bears, and gigantic, poisonous lizards.

Researchers have now discovered that one of these extinct beasts, Diprotodon, made seasonal pilgrimages across Australia’s outback. This discovery marks an enormous advance in our knowledge of Australia’s megafauna extinction event.

Megalania

Megalania Prisca was one of the greatest predators of its era; fossil discoveries in Australia suggest it was likely a venomous monitor lizard with potentially the strongest poison.

Its spikey hide and flicking tongue would have terrified prey before pouncing with hissing breath and deadly saliva to inflict wounds with serrated teeth. Scientists think it may have disappeared around 50,000 years ago when humans first arrived on this continent.

Scientists have recently discovered that this ancient megalomania predator hunted giant marsupials like wombats and koalas as well as various reptiles and even crocodiles for sustenance, similar to modern Komodo dragons or Lace monitors today; their movements can also be tracked. Their movement pattern may have even paralleled modern Komodo dragons – as well as being closer related than ever to modern Perentie species today! These discoveries suggest the extinct Megalania was closer related than previously thought!

Thylacoleo

Thylacoleo carnifex, commonly referred to as the “marsupial lion” of Ice Age Australia, had many features that distinguished them as predatory mammals – including retractable claws resembling cat claws, teeth that cut meat like shears and jaw muscles that were stronger than any lion’s jaw muscles.

Thylacoleo had powerful thumbs that enabled it to climb trees easily and secure prey while feeding, and large claws similar to an opossum’s on each front leg for digging out prey during feeding time. Furthermore, its short skull enabled strong biting muscles.

Thylacoleo shared its environment with giant short-faced kangaroos such as Procoptodon and Sthenurus, herbivorous four-legged marsupials like Diprotodon, giant wombats, early humans (which it probably both hunted and competed for top predator status with), giant wombats, and possibly early man (whom it likely both hunted and competed for). Furthermore, Thylacoleo boasted an unusually strong tail which allowed it to stand tall against competition by both standing tall on its hind legs allowing it to stay put longer on its back legs to help balance on its back legs to stand tall and stay put against competition.

Diprotodon

Diprotodon was an agile scavenger that consumed between 220 to 330 pounds of vegetation daily. This dinosaur-like creature, known for its two protruding front incisors, typically lived in family groups near water or grassland habitats.

Researchers estimate the Diprotodon lived for 24 million years before becoming extinct due to either climate change human hunting activity, or possibly both.

Fossil finds indicate the Diprotodon moved in herds, an unusual behavior not observed among marsupials or metatherians (mammals that don’t lay eggs). Their movement mimicked what could be found today among grazing animals in East Africa.

Stephen Wroe from the University of New England paleoecologist discovered a Diprotodon skeleton at Du Boulay Creek dig in Western Australia. This fossil is an intact jawbone which gives us the best understanding of this huge marsupial, which grew up to 3.5 meters long and stood almost 4 feet at its shoulders.

Crocodiles

Crocodiles, unlike dinosaurs, have managed to endure two ice ages without dying out completely; how they did so remains unknown since their cold-blooded bodies would likely have been frozen during much of this period.

Researchers found that fossils of ancient crocodiles indicate they fed on other animals to survive, feeding on reptiles, birds, fish, and mammals alike.

Today there are only two species of crocodiles found in Australia – saltwater crocodiles and freshwater crocodiles – but recent fossil evidence from Queensland demonstrates that their numbers once varied greatly due to climate changes during the Pleistocene and Pliocene Epochs around the Gulf of Carpentaria.