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Pre-Historic Giraffe Research Paper

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Pre-historic giraffe may be the largest ruminant mammal to walk the earth. Found within the Himalayan and African landscapes, lived one of the world’s unique mammals. Recent investigation of an ancient giraffe species, Sivatherium giganteum proves that the extinct mammal may have been the world’s largest ruminant (animal able to gain nutrients from plant material) mammal to ever exist. The Sivatherium giganteum is such a unique pre-historic mammal as its features are significantly different to modern giraffe species that we all recognise today. As the Sivatherium giganteum was found by researchers to have a short neck and legs resulting in an unusual bone structure. Previous research of this unique mammal has consistently misinterpreted …show more content…

Researchers also used computer software to give estimate body mass calculations of the ancient mammal. The researchers were able to find a variety of body mass calculations to suggest ranging measurements of the ancient giraffe. The experiment allowed scientists to compare estimated body structure and body mass of the prehistoric …show more content…

Through these results scientists were able to provide evidence of the body shape and structure of the extinct giraffe. The experiment reassured researches that their predicted values of Sivatherium body mass were significantly valid results and suggested the use of fossil reconstruction played a vital role in the understanding of the mammal’s body weight. Scientists were also able to understand that by using a complete body structured giraffe rather than analysing a single bone, a more accurate estimate of the mammal’s body weight was obtained. Through the study, scientists were able to understand the structure of the ancient mammal and suggest possible characteristics of the ancient giraffe species. They found that the species had large bone structures, in particular large shoulders and thicker and shorter leg structures than other extinct and modern giraffes. Researchers suggest that the Sivatherium thicker upper body bone structure allowed for the support of the mammals, large horns located on its head, found on male giraffes. Scientists were able to suggest that through the calculations obtained, Sivatherium was a much larger giraffe in contrast with modern day giraffes, and

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