Killer Cave Lured Pre-Historic Meat Eaters
A cave near Madrid, Spain, served as a death trap for all sorts of prehistoric carnivores 9-10 million years ago, according to new research.
The collection of animals that fell for the trap is astounding. They include saber-toothed cats, hyenas, an extinct bear-dog, ancestors of the red panda and many other meat lovers from the time.
Why meat, in this case? The researchers say hungry animals were all searching for prey, when they smelled dead or dying prey. The animals discovered a hole, where they could look down and see what appeared to be an easy dinner. The smell alone might have also attracted them, along with possible water sources.
The animals then entered the cave, according to the paper, published in the latest issue of the journal PLoS ONE. Once inside, they might have enjoyed a meal but couldn’t get out. They too then died, becoming a lure for yet another hungry carnivore.
Killer Cave Lured Pre-Historic Meat Eaters
Soledad Domingo, a researcher at the University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology, and colleagues examined the geological conditions under which the cave was formed, the age of individuals in the cave, and the time frame over which they likely entered this pit. The prehistoric mystery also included clues such as the demography of the individuals recovered, the orientation of the remains, and lack of fractured bones or trampling marks.
The discovery negates a prior theory, which suggested all of the animal remains wound up in this single location due to a natural disaster, or that they were washed into the cave from other locations.
The fossilized bones remain in very good condition, entombed for millions of years.(May 1, 2013 05:00 PM ET // by Jennifer Viegas)
