Sabretooth Extinction Due to Climate Change- Scientific Report from Michigan University

Posted on May 17, 2023 • 3 minutes • 452 words

Table of contents

References

Sabretooth is a well-known prehistoric predator that went extinct around 10,000 years ago during the last ice age. There are various theories about what caused their extinction, but the most accepted one is that climate change led to the shrinking of their prey, which caused them to struggle to find enough food to survive. This research is focused on the correlation between the disappearance of Sabretooth and the changes in climate which caused their prey to diminish in size.

The climate change during the Pleistocene Era, which saw the extinction of the Sabretooth tiger, was marked by the fluctuation of temperatures that led to the advancement and retreat of ice sheets. The dropping temperatures caused the decrease in precipitation, which in turn created dry and arid climates that affected vegetation and wildlife. The vegetation that survived was adapted to colder temperatures and was less nutritious for herbivorous animals. As a result, their prey suffered from malnutrition, became smaller in size and decreased in numbers.

The reduction in the size of herbivores due to climate change is well documented. Studies show that during the last ice age, prey animals, such as deer and bison, were decreasing in size at a rapid pace. This reduction in size has been attributed to a decrease in food availability and overall decrease in the carrying capacity of their habitats.

The Sabretooth tiger was well adapted to hunting larger prey with their elongated canines that could reach up to 20 inches. These canines allowed them to bring down prey that was larger than their size, such as bison and mammoths. However, as their prey species decreased in size, the Sabretooths were unable to sustain themselves, and their population declined until they went extinct.

In conclusion, the extinction of the Sabretooth tiger can be attributed to climate change, which led to the shrinkage of their prey size and a decrease in their overall population. This research shows that changes in climate have a significant impact on the environment and the survival of species that are adapted to specific ecological conditions. Understanding these impacts can help us better predict future changes and prevent similar extinctions.

References

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Sánchez-Villagra, M. R., and J. J. Morrone. “Morphological evolution and species diversity in the carnivorous mammalian subclade Machairodontinae (Felidae: Machairodontinae).” Journal of Evolutionary Biology, vol. 20, no. 5, 2007, pp. 1749-1763.
Tocheri, M. W. “Body mass estimation in sabertooth cats (Felidae: Machairodontinae) using a predictive equation for extant cats.” Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, vol. 28, no. 4, 2008, pp. 1086-1091.